Iran has suspended planned electricity cuts for its industrial sector following a slight rise in temperatures and improved natural gas supplies to power plants, a senior energy official said on Monday.
For several years, Iran has implemented load management programs, including scheduled power outages for high-consumption sectors, during peak summer and winter periods to cope with chronic imbalances in its energy supply and distribution networks.
“The relative decrease in the cold weather and the improvement in the gas supply situation to power plants has led to the decision to halt the implementation of load management programs for industries,” Mohsen Zabihi, deputy for distribution coordination at state power company Tavanir, was quoted as saying at a weekly meeting with distribution executives.
He added, however, that electricity rationing for the agricultural sector remains fully in place.
The move highlights the ongoing strain on Iran’s energy infrastructure, where supply shortages often force authorities to prioritize between households, industries, and other sectors during extreme weather.