Speaking at the launch ceremony in Razavi Khorasan province, NIGC CEO Saeid Tavakoli said the project is a flagship program of the 14th administration's energy strategy. He said 88 contracts are currently being implemented nationwide, including three in Razavi Khorasan, with projects underway in 29 other provinces.

Tavakoli said Operator Companies will serve as intermediaries between the gas utility and consumers, helping households and organizations reduce gas use through building efficiency upgrades, infrastructure improvements, energy-saving measures, public awareness campaigns and changes in consumption behavior. Companies will receive gas-saving certificates based on verified reductions in consumption compared with established baselines.

He said the program is designed to benefit all stakeholders, including the government, consumers, private companies, the broader economy and the environment. He also highlighted recent gas tariff reforms that reduced the number of pricing tiers from 12 to four without causing significant social impacts.

According to Tavakoli, only 1.33% of gas customers fall into the highest consumption category, yet they account for about 6% of the country's total gas use. He attributed much of that demand to home-based businesses using subsidized gas, heated outdoor swimming pools, energy-inefficient buildings and seasonal villas in northern Iran that are kept heated during winter to prevent structural damage.

The NIGC has also upgraded more than 127,000 boiler rooms across the country as part of its broader energy efficiency efforts, he said.

Tavakoli called on government bodies, public institutions, universities, military organizations and other entities to participate in the Operator Companies program, saying its nationwide implementation could become one of Iran's most significant energy conservation initiatives.

He said Iran faced a growing gas supply-demand imbalance when the current administration took office in 2024, despite previous efforts to improve efficiency. Razavi Khorasan was among the few provinces with an active energy committee at the time, while other regions had paid less attention to energy optimization because of the country's abundant gas resources.

Tavakoli noted that about 76% of Iran's natural gas reserves are located in offshore and coastal fields in the Persian Gulf, while more than 80% of consumers are concentrated in the northern half of the country, creating logistical challenges for the gas distribution network.

He added that natural gas accounts for 73% of Iran's energy mix, fuels 83% of the country's thermal power plants and remains the primary energy source for much of its industrial sector.

Tavakoli said the Operator Companies initiative was developed through an extensive technical review process and is intended to achieve lasting reductions in gas consumption while improving energy efficiency across the country.