Iran Says Electricity Grid Remains Resilient Despite War and Sanctions

Iranian Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi has described the country’s electricity network as one of the most stable in the region, saying it cannot be brought to a complete halt even under intense military pressure. Speaking in a televised interview during Government Week, Aliabadi said Iran’s water and electricity industries had become strategic national strengths despite decades of sanctions, war and external pressure. He stressed that Iran can manufacture the equipment and components required by its power sector domestically.

Aliabadi said the geographical spread of Iran’s electricity infrastructure and the distribution of generation facilities provide additional resilience. With more than 1,000 power-generating units operating across the country, he argued that even the complete exhaustion of an adversary’s arsenal would not be enough to shut down Iran’s electricity-generation network. He added that generating capacity has grown from around 7,000 megawatts at the beginning of the 1979 Islamic Revolution to more than 103,000 megawatts today.

The minister said Iran’s electricity sector continued operating and expanding even during the recent war, with no power-plant projects halted at its height and additional generating units expected to join the national grid soon. He also praised electricity-sector workers for rapidly repairing damaged infrastructure, citing efforts to restore services after damage to the Karaj water-treatment facility despite the release of chlorine gas. Aliabadi said Iran’s domestic production capabilities have enabled it to meet national needs while also exporting electrical components and water and electricity equipment to other countries.