Tasnim � Iranian Deputy Energy Minister Houshang Falahatian announced that the country�s nominal capacity to produce electricity has surpassed 77,000 megawatts (MW).





Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency on Monday, Falahatian said over the past year, the country�s power generation capacity has increased by about 2,000 MW.

With the coming into service of three gas units of the Sarakhs power plant in the northeastern city of Sarakhs that can totally produce 75 MW of electricity and the Amir Abad natural gas-fueled power plant, the country�s overall nominal capacity reached 77,068 MW.

Speaking at a ceremony to begin the construction of a power station in the southwestern city of Andimeshk in Khuzestan Province earlier this month, Falahatian had said that the country�s nominal capacity to produce electricity would increase by 3,000 megawatts (MW) by the next summer.

Iran is now exporting around 12 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity to its neighbors each year, while the imports stand at an annual level of 4 billion kWh, the minister said at the time.

The country�s electricity industry ranks 14th in the world and first in the Middle East in terms of electricity generation.