“All units in Zahedan gas power plant, which supplies 40,000 subscribers, are running on natural gas and now there is no need to burn liquefied fuels namely mazut and diesel as feedstock,” Hassan Montazer Torbati was quoted as saying by ISNA.
Power plants in the country are moving toward replacing polluting fuels with natural gas seen as a cleaner energy resource and contribute to reducing greenhouse gases.
Pipe laying projects are ahead of schedule and several gas pressure reduction stations (TBS and CGS) have become operational in the provincial capital and its sole CNG station is now connected to the national grid, according to Financial Tribune.
Connecting all cities in the southeastern province to the grid will require another three years.
Households in Zahedan are expected to be linked to the network by January. More than 26,000 households joined the grid starting in the last fiscal year. According to a 2017 census, Zahedan has a population of 650,000 and 130,000 households.
“Natural gas projects worth $727 million are underway in the province,” he said, noting that Zabol, Khash, Iranshahr and Chabahar are the next priorities.
"When we are done in Zahedan, the main pipeline that is an extension of the Iran Gas Trunkline 7 (IGAT-7) will be extended to other major cities namely Zabol, Khash, Iranshahr and Chabahar," he said. Until then the homes will have to do with CNG cylinders.
IGAT-7 stretches over 900km between Asalouyeh, Bushehr Province, and Iranshahr in Sistan-Baluchestan Province.
The underdeveloped area is the only region in the country partially deprived of piped gas.