• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

President Khatami inaugurates combined cycle power plant in Fars

IRNA

Shiraz, Fars prov, Sept 16, IRNA -- President Mohammad Khatami here on
Tuesday launched executive operations for the development of Fars 
combined cycle power plant and a 23-kilovolt power transfer line at 
the power plant. 
Speaking at the ceremony, President Khatami called for optimal 
energy consumption, which at times exceeds global standards. 
The president highlighted the government`s achievements in 
developing water resources and said projects are underway for 
construction of 70 dams, five of which are located in the southern 
province of Fars. 
He said efforts should be made to consolidate the country`s 
economic and scientific potential despite all the ongoing publicity. 
The project for development of the combined cycle power plant in 
Fars province, which started in 1999, will augment the national power 
grid by more than 1,000 megawatts. 
It has thus far cost the Ministry of Energy rls 1,900 billion. 
The 1,053.3-megawatt combined cycle power plant has six gas- 
powered generation units, each with the capacity to produce 123.4 
megawatts of electricity, and three steam units, each with 98.3 
megawatts output. 
Natural gas is the main source of fuel for Fars combined cycle 
power plant and diesel will be used, if needed. 
The project has cost rls 636 billion plus dlrs 335 million. The 
last phase of the gas-powered unit at the power plant came on stream 
by March 1997 and the last phase of the steam unit in February 2002. 
Both were in tentative operation since their inauguration, he added. 
The equipment for the power plant had been supplied by Germany, 
South Korea, Spain, China, Austria and certain other countries. 
Meanwhile, Minister of Energy Habibollah Bitaraf said at the 
inaugural ceremony that his ministry has given the priority to 
development of combined cycle power plants for generation of energy. 
Bitaraf said the policy has been adopted with respect to the 
advantages of combined cycle power plants, including their role in a 
reducing air pollution, optimal consumption of energy and preventing 
extra consumption of fuel. 
He said construction of combined cycle power plants would save the
country dlrs 30 million and 750 million cubic meters of gas a year. 
Furthermore, Managing Director of Iran`s Power Development 
Organization Hossein Mahmoudzadeh told the meeting that Iranian power 
plants` capacity would rise by 2,800 megawatts to 33,400 megawatts by 
March 2004. 
Mahmoudzadeh said 1,415 megawatts out of the total would be 
obtained from thermal power plants and 1,396 megawatts from 
hydroelectric power plants. 
The official said that last year 13 thermal and five hydroelectric
power plants added 2,600 megawatts of power to national power grid in 
combination last year, raising total national power generation 
capacity to 30,600 megawatts in the year. 
He said failure to attract sufficient foreign capital is the main 
problem with the sector. 
President Khatami also presented plaques of honor to officials in 
charge of Shiraz combined cycle power plant. 
216/AH/210 
End