Iran, Russia Preparing Ground to Connect National Grids
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran and Russia will take the first preparatory step to connect their national grids through a transmission line linking Iran with Azerbaijan Republic by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2015).
Over the past few years, senior officials from Iran and Russia had discussed the issue of energy exchange between the two countries.
On September 9, 2014, an agreement was inked between the Iranian and Russian energy officials, according to which the two sides decided to match power systems in Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia.
Negotiations were held between Iranian and Azerbaijani officials after that and agreements were made on the construction of a 260-km long 400kV transmission line between the two neighboring countries within a six-month period.
If everything goes well, the construction of the new power transmission line will be completed by the end of this Iranian year and, practically, the first step to connect power networks in Iran and Russia will be taken.
In recent years Iran has put greater emphasis on participation of domestic and foreign investors in electricity generation sector, with projects underway to add 40,000 MWh more capacity to the national grid.
Speaking to Tasnim on Saturday, Iran's Deputy Energy Minister Alireza Daemi said one of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s policies is to turn into the region’s main energy hub.
Iran’s southern neighboring countries are located in a tropical area while the northern neighbors lie in cold, sometimes polar climates, the official explained, saying such a unique position has given Iran the opportunity to meet energy demands of neighbors both in the summertime and wintertime.
