Rahim Minaei announced that following coordination between the oil and energy ministers, it was decided that the West Karoun Power Plant’s units—which produce electricity beyond the needs of oil facilities—would be connected to the national grid.  

He added that after necessary coordination and under the order of the CEO of Petroleum Engineering and Development Company, both gas units of the power plant began operating at full capacity at midnight on April 8. Currently, more than 200 MW of electricity from the plant is being fed into the national grid.  

The project director stated that this move improves the stability of Khuzestan province’s power grid while supplying electricity to parts of Ahvaz and surrounding areas.  

Minaei noted that preparations to launch the plant’s third unit—a steam-powered unit—are also underway. He explained that in previous years, the Energy Ministry typically requested additional power in early or mid-June, leaving the steam unit idle for extended periods. As a result, restarting it required more time. However, this year’s early request in late March slightly delayed the activation process.  

Once the third unit—with an excess capacity of about 150 MW—becomes operational, the plant’s total output will increase from 200 MW to 350 MW. Since 2020, the plant has collaborated with the Energy Ministry, supplying all surplus electricity to the national grid, amounting to over 2 billion kilowatt-hours so far.  

The project director expressed hope that the Energy Ministry would honor its financial commitments under the project agreements.  

The West Karun Power Plant was built under a BOO contract with MAPNA Group, with guaranteed electricity purchases and financial backing from the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) to power oil fields in the region. In recent years, the Oil Ministry has consistently delivered surplus electricity to the Energy Ministry and expects reciprocal cooperation in fulfilling past and future financial obligations.