The first two steam units of Parand Combined Cycle Power Plant started commercial operation on Saturday, August 25, 2018, in a ceremony attended by Minister of Power Reza Ardakanian.
A high-ranking delegation from the Ministry of Power accompanied Mr. Ardakanian during the ceremony.
MAPNA President Abbas Aliabadi delivered the opening speech, recounting the technical advantages of combined cycle plants for Iran’s power sector.
The power plant utilizes air cooling condensers (ACC) which consume significantly lower volume of water and MAPNA homegrown static stimulation system (MAPEX) Aliabadi reminded.
Three units of the power plant are also running on MAP2B, MAPNA Group’s homegrown gas turbine, Abbas Aliabadi said, adding that MAPNA Group is ready to convert other simple cycle plants across the country into combined cycle blocks.
Minister of Power Reza Ardakanian also gave a speech duringthe ceremony. “With Iran experiencing its driest year in five decades, which has led to a 4500-5000 megawatts’ reduction in power generation, it was predicted that serious challenges would rise in power and water supply. However, we have managed to tackle power blackout since two weeks ago,” Ardakanian said.
“With the Power Ministry’s plans to optimize power consumption, for the next Persian year (starting March 2019) we will see a reduction of 3000 to 4000 megawatts in power consumption due and can weather the next summer without blackout,” he added.
Minister of Power lauded inauguration of two combined cycle units of Parand Power Plant by MAPNA group, saying that it showed agencies in charge of Iran’s power industry were duly performing their responsibilities.
Ardakanian praised MAPNA Group’s campaign to convert simple cycle plants into combined cycle power plants which were economically cost-effective, spending less from national foreign exchange reserves, and environment-friendly.