Tehran: Irans continued struggle with electricity shortages has led to the implementation of rolling blackouts in the capital, Tehran. Power cuts have become a fixture of both summer and winter months, but rolling blackouts this year have started earlier than usual despite the temperatures being relatively low.

According to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani stated during her weekly press conference that the country was facing multiple imbalances, referring to rising demand for electricity, water, and gas. Electricity consumption in Iran peaked at over 72,000 megawatts in the Iranian year 1402 (March 2023-23), while actual power generation capacity in the summer maxed out at around 60,000 megawatts.

Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi, a spokesperson for Irans state-run power distribution company Tavanir, reported that electricity consumption nationwide in the last two weeks rose by 9,000 megawatts compared to the same period last year. Despite sitting atop the worlds second-larg
est natural gas reserves, Iran continues to face recurring energy shortages in both summer and winter.

Generous energy subsidies keep household bills low, but they also fuel excessive consumption. Amid the struggle to keep the lights on, proponents of Irans nuclear program argue the country needs nuclear energy to generate electricity. US President Donald Trump has called for the total dismantlement of the nuclear program but has said he is open to considering allowing Iran to maintain a civil nuclear program to generate electricity.

Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi last month stated that his country aims to build 19 more nuclear reactors, a goal it has been pursuing since the 2000s. He mentioned that “tens of billions of dollars in potential contracts are up for grabs” and open to US investment, should Tehran and Washington reach a deal on Irans nuclear program.