Saeid Tavakoli, managing director of the NIGC, told a state TV program that all major repairs and technical measures had been carried out at refineries, transmission lines, pressure-boosting stations and distribution networks. He said officials hope the network will enter winter on schedule.

Tavakoli said scenarios ranging from the worst case to the most realistic have been drawn up to manage the country's gas imbalance, including alternative plans in case supply must be restricted in a crisis. Those plans are being coordinated with provincial governors' offices, he said.

He said some provinces are affected sporadically by gas shortages, with three facing more severe conditions. Northern provinces are especially vulnerable because they sit at the end of the supply chain, and officials have prioritized coordination for them, he said.

Tavakoli compared the national grid to the body's circulatory system, saying the company is using replacement pipelines, bypass routes and operational changes to keep affected areas supplied. He said reconstruction and debris-clearing work had returned 100 million cubic meters of gas to the supply cycle, a result he said set records. He did not elaborate.

On the size of the shortfall, Tavakoli said that on some peak-demand days in previous years, the gap between supply and demand reached about 250 million to 300 million cubic meters. He stressed the need to manage the gas and electricity networks together and to plan for power plant fuel reserves. Supplying alternative fuel to power plants and other sectors is a key part of the planning, he said.

Appeal to consumers

Tavakoli urged the public to avoid wasteful use of gas and other energy. He said standard indoor temperatures for efficient gas use are between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius, and a campaign known as "20 for a Grade of 20" encourages households to set thermostats at 20 C.

He said that if every household lowered its home temperature by just 1 degree Celsius on peak days, it would ease demand on the national grid by about 25 million cubic meters. Heating accounts for about 70% to 80% of household gas use, he said.

Other measures he recommended include weatherstripping windows and doors, installing double-glazed windows, using thick curtains, setting boilers to between 55 and 60 degrees Celsius and adjusting heater flames properly.

Illegal connections and crypto mining

Tavakoli said illegal gas connections have spread in some areas, many of them outside city and village boundaries. He said areas around major cities, parts of Damavand, Firouzkuh and Malard, and areas in Alborz province have been identified as hot spots, and that many illegal hookups have been found and removed this year.

Officials can detect suspected theft by comparing the volume of gas delivered to a province with metered consumption, he said. Legal cases are opened against violators, and sites where theft is found are put on a list for more frequent inspection.

He also said some cryptocurrency mining operations tap the electricity or gas networks illegally. In one case in Eshtehard, a large mining center was found using the gas distribution network for its energy needs, he said. He urged the public to report suspected theft to the company's emergency line, 194.

Replacing inefficient heaters

Tavakoli said Iran has between 20 million and 21 million low-efficiency heaters and that replacing them could significantly cut consumption. He said each high-efficiency heater uses about 466 cubic meters less gas per year while providing more heat.

He said administrative groundwork for the program began in the Iranian year 1403 (2024-25), with more serious implementation starting in 1404 (2025-26). The company hopes to replace more units before winter as production of efficient heaters rises, he said. Production capacity is a deciding factor, and plans call for raising monthly output by 150,000 units from current levels, he said.

Certain groups, including people supported by the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation and the State Welfare Organization, can receive high-efficiency heaters free, he said.

Savings certificates, energy exchange

Tavakoli said efficiency projects under the country's Seventh Development Plan span industrial, household, agricultural and public sectors, with knowledge-based companies using smart systems to cut use. Savings certificates are issued in proportion to the gas saved and can be traded on the energy exchange, he said.

He said gas was recently traded on the exchange at 85,000 tomans per cubic meter, which he said reflects its economic value to some industries. Shifting gas from inefficient uses to productive sectors can support industrial output, jobs and economic growth, he said.

Schools

With the school year under way, Tavakoli said plans to reduce gas use in schools include smart upgrades and optimization of boiler rooms, of which 131,450 have been done nationwide. Adjusting burners and installing descaling equipment can cut gas use by 13% to 25%, he said. Schools with inefficient heaters in Tehran, Alborz and Semnan provinces are being prioritized.