Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan are close to starting works on a project to link their power systems, shows a report, as Tehran seeks greater access to regional energy markets to export its surplus electricity.
The Thursday report by the official IRNA news agency cited recent statements by high-ranking officials from the three countries showing that the synchronization project agreed some 15 years ago and kicked off in 2017 would soon be implemented.
The report said the study phase of the project, which had been commissioned to an Iranian contractor, was nearing its end and authorities are preparing to start the implementation phase.
Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian said last week that feasibility and technical studies related to the project would conclude within the next few months.
The report by IRNA also cited comments by Russian Foreign Minister Seregi Lavrov during a meeting with Azerbaijani officials in September last year in which he elaborated that both Moscow and Baku were intent on implementing the relatively complicated project.
It also made a reference to comments by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in January in which he had highlighted the immense capacities that existed for electricity cooperation between Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia.
IRNA said the implementation of the project would strengthen reliability of the electricity networks in the three countries while it would create opportunities for more power exports from Iran, a country that has seen its electricity generation capacity increased steadily over the years.
Iran and Russia have expanded their trade and energy relations in recent years mainly through agreeing on a series of key infrastructure projects in Iran while Tehran has managed to gain access to a Russian-led economic bloc to enjoy preferential tariffs for imports and exports of certain goods.