On August 13, Iran's electricity consumption surged by over 8%, surpassing 80,000 megawatts during the hottest days of the year, according to Mohammad Allahdad of Tavanir.
This consumption rate is more than three times the global average, placing significant strain on the national grid.
In the Central Province, electricity usage matched the combined consumption of the warmer provinces of Khuzestan, Hormozgan, and Bushehr, with an increase of 1,000 megawatts noted in these areas.
Nighttime peak loads exceeded 70,000 megawatts, prompting officials to urge energy conservation amidst ongoing power outages.
Allahdad emphasized the need to turn off cooling systems in offices after hours and reduce consumption in buildings with central cooling systems.
Despite these measures, the persistent high temperatures suggest that electricity consumption will not decrease rapidly.
In the capital, power outages lasted 2 to 4 hours in various neighborhoods over the past two days, a shift from previous voltage drop measures.
Reports indicate that the Iranian government has invested heavily in nuclear power development, particularly the Bushehr plant, over the past 20 years, yet widespread power cuts during summer remain a recurring issue.
Experts attribute the energy imbalance to a lack of strategic planning and economic mismanagement, raising concerns over the sustainability of current practices.