Reports from Iranian domestic media and social networks indicate widespread blackouts in Tehran, with schools, banks, and government offices in several provinces, including Tehran, being closed on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Energy has cited “fuel shortages in power plants” as the reason for the widespread blackouts and has called on the public to conserve energy.
On Tuesday evening, February 11, the Tavanir electricity company issued a statement saying that due to cold weather, increased household gas consumption, and restrictions in gas supply and transmission to power plants, electricity has been cut off, and the country needs “cooperation from fellow citizens” to meet its power demand.
As of now, at least 14 provinces in the country have been shut down on Wednesday. The deputy governor of Tehran, in an interview with Iran’s regime state television, stated that various educational and administrative institutions in the capital would be closed to “manage energy consumption.”
Meanwhile, some reports indicate that, due to the power outages, not only have telecommunications towers been affected, but traffic lights have also stopped functioning, leading to severe congestion on some streets.
The implementation of widespread blackouts, even in the capital, due to fuel shortages, comes at a time when data from the commodities intelligence firm Kpler, obtained by Radio Farda, indicates that Iran is engaging in large-scale fuel exports.
The state-run ISNA news agency reports that blackouts have been implemented in eastern and western Tehran. However, the state-run Rouydad24 website indicates that large areas in the east, center, south, and west of Tehran experienced power outages on Tuesday evening until 8 PM.
Mansouri, the public relations manager of the Tehran Electricity Distribution Company, told Rouydad24 that the reason for the power cuts in various parts of the capital was a drop in gas pressure. However, at the same time, another official from the electricity distribution company, who requested anonymity, rejected the claim that the outages were due to low gas pressure.
Since the beginning of autumn, the Iranian regime has claimed that fuel reserves for power plants have declined and has implemented widespread blackouts across the country.
Surge in Mazut Consumption in Iran Amid Rising Exports of Clean Fuels
Data from Kpler indicates that Iran has significantly increased its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) exports in the autumn and winter of this year. It only reduced fuel oil (mazut) exports for one month in November (mid-autumn) before restoring them to previous levels in December.
In the autumn and early winter of this year, Iran exported approximately 300,000 barrels (26,000 tons) of LPG and more than 200,000 barrels of fuel oil per day.
Gas Consumption in 24 Hours Close to 75% of the Country’s Total Production
Data from Turkey’s Energy Market Regulatory Authority also shows a significant increase in the country’s gas purchases from Iran, especially after this summer. In the first 11 months of 2024, Iran increased its gas exports to Turkey by 40%, reaching 6.5 billion cubic meters.
Iran also exports gas to Iraq, but neither country publishes official data on the volume of gas delivered.
