The country’s largest solar power plant, with a capacity to produce 600 megawatts of solar electricity online, was inaugurated in Kouhpaye, Isfahan, in the presence of the President.
According to Saednews, The largest solar power plant in the country and the twenty-fifth largest in the world has been built by Mobarakeh Steel Company in Kouhpaye, Isfahan, with the goal of producing 600 megawatts of solar electricity. Today, Thursday, July 10th, the first phase with a capacity of 120 megawatts was inaugurated online in the presence of Masoud Pezeshkian, the President, Mohammad Atabak, Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade, Mehdi Jamali-Nejad, Governor of Isfahan, the CEO of Mobarakeh Steel Company, and several members of parliament.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the President, said at the inauguration ceremony: "After 12 days of the treacherous aggression by the Zionist regime, and wishing a long life full of honor and blessings for the Supreme Leader, I find it necessary to thank all those who invested in this project, including contractors, managers, and officials."
He added: "I also thank the honorable Minister of Energy, the honorable Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade, and the Mobarakeh Steel Group who took the lead on this path and made the necessary investments."
The President continued: "Now, with the help of Almighty God and in memory of our dear martyrs, we inaugurate the 120-megawatt ‘Aftab Shargh’ (Eastern Sun) project of Mobarakeh Steel. With salutations upon Muhammad and his family, and under the auspices of the Holy Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance), and following the Supreme Leader’s directives for the year of ‘Investment for Production,’ we bring the first phase of this project into operation."
This solar power plant, covering an area of 1,200 hectares, is considered one of the key projects in the development of clean energy in the country. It represents an important step toward reducing fossil fuel consumption and increasing the share of renewable energy in Iran’s electricity grid.
The project has been implemented with a 305 million euro investment by Mobarakeh Steel, and it is expected to supply a significant portion of the region’s electricity demand annually.
Currently, 240 megawatts of solar power in Isfahan are connected to the national grid, and according to plans, this figure will reach 5,300 megawatts by 2028 (year 1407 in the Iranian calendar).
The project has created employment for 3,000 people during construction and 70 people in the first operational phase. It is the largest integrated solar power plant in the country, equipped with tracker technology to increase energy production by capturing solar energy both from direct sunlight on the panel surface and reflected sunlight from the ground behind the panel. The plant will prevent the annual emission of one million tons of CO₂ greenhouse gas.
The final phase of this large project is planned to be operational by the end of 2026 (year 1405 in the Iranian calendar). Once completed, the country’s solar electricity capacity will increase by 30%.
Mehdi Jamali-Nejad, Governor of Isfahan, regarding the development of solar energy in Isfahan, stated: “In Isfahan, 7,560 megawatts of memoranda of understanding have been signed in the solar energy sector, and according to the planned schedules, the province’s solar energy capacity will reach 5,300 megawatts by 2028.”
He added: “So far, 240 megawatts have been connected to the national grid, with another 74 megawatts scheduled to be operational by Government Week, and 397 megawatts by the upcoming Ten-Day Dawn celebrations.”
The governor said: “Overall, these efforts in Isfahan will increase the country’s solar energy capacity by more than 30%.”
