TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran’s Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian announced his country’s plans to inaugurate and put into operation 250 electricity and water projects by the end of the current Iranian year (March 20).
“We have decided to put into operation 250 projects by investing nearly 50,000bln tomans ($11.9bln) by the end of this year,” Ardakanian said in an interview with the state TV on Saturday night.
He added that in the past 7 years, one wastewater treatment plant, a big dam and a water treatment plant were inaugurated every 30, 50 and 60 days on average, respectively.
Ardakanian underlined that Iran ranks first in the region and 14th in the world in the developing power generation capacity, adding that 60% of the power plants belong to the private sector.
In relevant remarks last month, Ardakanian said that the country inaugurated 227 water and electricity projects in the second half of the last Iranian year (ended on March 19).
"We started in the middle of last year and we promised our people that during six months we are going to complete and inaugurate 227 projects in water and electricity industry and we did so," Ardakanian said.
He added that 10 days before the end of the last Iranian year we inaugurated all 227 projects, including several large dams, drainage networks, water treatment plants, as well as hydro-power plants, thermal power plants, renewable energy plants.
"We think it's very important for our people to see that while sanctions are very severe and painful, but we are going to make benefit out of these sanctions," Ardakanian said.
