In recent days, widespread and repeated power outages, along with disruptions in water supply across various areas of Tehran Province, have been met with scattered yet notable public protests.
According to a report by the regime-affiliated website Baharnews, within one year—from September 2023 to September 2024—electricity demand in the country increased by around 7,000 megawatts. Meanwhile, production capacity only rose by 2,235 megawatts—a figure that clearly reflects a deep gap between supply and demand in this vital sector.
The same report notes that addressing the 20,000-megawatt electricity shortfall will require massive investments, including:
$10 billion to offset the production shortfall,
$20 billion for the development of power plants and electricity supply infrastructure,
$35 billion for modernization of the transmission and distribution network,
and a total of $100 billion to eliminate the overall energy imbalance in the country.
These figures clearly show that Iran’s energy crisis stems not from a lack of resources but from chronic mismanagement, widespread corruption, and systematic neglect of vital infrastructure development.
In response to the current critical situation, nationwide protest calls have been issued.
On Tuesday, May 6, bakers in Tehran and other cities announced that they would halt their activities for three days (May 6, 7, and 8), and would gather at 11:00 a.m. in front of county governor’s offices and provincial governorates.
Additionally, on Thursday, May 8, farmers across the country are planning to hold demonstrations. The exact timing of these protests has not yet been announced.
The disastrous electricity and water outage policies have placed immense pressure on families and lower-income groups. These measures, introduced in mid-spring, serve as a clear warning of even more severe conditions during the hotter months, particularly in August.
Power outages in Iran, especially in spring 2025, are not merely a technical issue or due to energy shortages; they are a concrete sign of managerial collapse, structural corruption, and governmental incompetence. The regime prioritizes its survival through repression, terrorism, and plunder rather than ensuring the welfare of the people.
The electricity crisis is being managed as if no responsible authority or prior planning exists. Outages occur without prior notice, and their official schedules contradict what is actually happening on the ground.
The blackouts are a direct result of widespread corruption at the highest levels of the regime. Billions of dollars in national revenue have been diverted from energy infrastructure investments to fund the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), missile programs, support for regional militias, and domestic repression.
Meanwhile, regime officials refuse to answer to the public. This complete disconnect between the ruling system and the people signals the collapse of the regime’s social legitimacy.
From students at the National University to shopkeepers in the city of Shahriar, all have participated in these protests. Power outages, like other crises (inflation, water scarcity, pollution, unemployment), have become a shared experience across all social classes. This convergence forms a concrete foundation for the emergence of a nationwide uprising.
