Electricity use in Iran has peaked to an annual high of 50 megawatts (MW) per hour as authorities expect the consumption to rise in the coming days with a warm spell driving up cooling demand across the country.
Iranian Energy Ministry’s grid management department (IGMC) said in a statement on Monday that demand for electricity had risen to over 50 MW at midday as it expected the figure to rise to over 54 MW over the afternoon.
The statement said that demand for electricity in the Iranian manufacturing sector had also increased by 13% on Monday.
Iran has been spared of an early peak in electricity consumption this year with a late warm spell. The country had reported record peaks of over 57 MW in previous years.
Iranian Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian issued a decree on Monday allowing the use of electricity bill credits for a first time in the country for customers who reduce their electricity consumption over the coming months.
The decree said that customers who use electricity at a lower scale compared to similar months in previous years will receive credits of 5,000 rials ($0.16) per kilowatt hours (kWh) on their future electricity bills.
Iranian Energy Ministry said low-demand customers will also enjoy major discounts in their current bills.
Iran has some of the cheapest electricity rates in the world. An average low-demand electricity customer in the country pays around 1,000 rials ($0.03) per kWh.