Committee priorities

Mohammad Motamedizadeh, speaking on a TV program on Sunday evening said the energy imbalance has been a priority for the committee in recent months, especially after the third imposed war and the damage it caused. Several meetings have been held with the oil minister and relevant officials, and the imbalance, particularly in gas, is being pursued seriously.

He said the Seventh Development Plan includes provisions such as Article 46 to manage the imbalance with less pressure on the public. The law's approach, he said, is not to cut consumption simply by raising tariffs, but to create the conditions for demand management and optimization projects.

Parliament's support for the Oil Ministry

Motamedizadeh said the Committee holds regular meetings with the gas company, roughly monthly. Financing is especially important for energy operators, and cooperation from the Central Bank and the Plan and Budget Organization in supporting them is under consideration. With operators, he said, efficient consumption is no longer just a moral recommendation but an economic one: under Article 46, companies entering the field as operators benefit from the savings achieved.

On obstacles, he said a key issue was creating the conditions for private-sector entry and support. The relevant authorities and the operator companies, some of them knowledge-based firms, have taken appropriate steps.

Addressing the public, he said operator companies will visit homes to carry out optimization projects, such as improving heaters and installing double-glazed windows. If done properly, the public, the operator companies and the government will all benefit.

Energy-saving certificates

Motamedizadeh said the certificates issued to operator companies are tradable on the exchange, which can provide the economic incentive for companies to enter energy optimization. He noted that advance issuance of certificates has been emphasized. He called Yazd province a successful example, with positive experiences in optimizing energy use in brick-making, and said conditions should be created to develop and facilitate such experiences.

He said full implementation of these projects could activate a significant share of the potential for reducing consumption and managing the imbalance. One committee recommendation was to identify provinces with more severe gas imbalances so they can enter implementation earlier and be prioritized. Provincial governors have become involved. He stressed that this matters more in cold regions, which have particular needs.

Ongoing oversight of Article 46

Motamedizadeh assured the public that the committee is monitoring the law's implementation seriously and continuously, following progress "point by point and week by week." Committee experts are in regular contact with National Iranian Gas Company experts, and obstacles in other ministries are being pursued so they can be removed.

Stressing the need for public awareness, he said the country is in wartime conditions and the effort is multifaceted. The Oil Ministry, the gas company, parliament, the financing sector and the public must move in parallel to bring results. He said the Committee stands with the gas company and has a special level of engagement with it.