Iranian Energy Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian has expressed the Islamic Republic’s readiness for joining the country’s electricity network to those of Azerbaijan and Russia, according to IRNA, Report informs referring to Tehran Times.
Making the remarks in a meeting with Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Tehran Ali Alizadeh, Mehrabian emphasized Iran’s readiness for the development and continuation of electricity exchange between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, saying: “Studies have been conducted on electricity cooperation among Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia and Iran is ready to start synchronizing its electricity network with these countries.”
He noted that due to the different peak consumption periods of these countries in summer and winter, it is possible to increase electricity transit in order to meet the electricity needs of the countries in various time spans.
Referring to the long-standing relations between Iran and Azerbaijan in water and energy sectors, Mehrabian added: “Azerbaijan has had very good achievements in the energy sector in recent years, including gas extraction and electricity generation, which is admirable.”
Mehrabian further emphasized the need to expand Tehran-Baku relations in various economic sectors, saying: “It is possible to increase the economic exchanges between the two countries; for instance, regarding Aras River, some joint work has been done, which is necessary to be pursued and become operational in the form of joint cooperation.”
As one of the major players in West Asia’s energy market, Iran is now emerging as a major electricity hub in the region as the country is following a comprehensive plan for synchronizing its power grid with the neighboring countries.
Iraq was the first neighbor whose national electricity network was synchronized with the Islamic Republic’s power grid back in November 2019, and now the Energy Ministry is following a plan to connect the electricity networks of Russia and Azerbaijan with the Iranian grid.
Back in September, former Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian had announced that a research project for the synchronization of the electricity networks of Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia was underway by his ministry.
According to Ardakanian, there are two possible routes for the synchronization of Iran and Russia’s power grids, one of which is through Armenia and Georgia and the other is through Azerbaijan.
The route through Azerbaijan is currently more plausible and Iran is more inclined toward this country since, in a meeting with Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev back in February 2019, Ardakanian had announced that the two countries electricity networks would become synchronized.