Iran Faces Nationwide Power Cuts

Iran has announced a nationwide electricity blackout schedule starting Sunday, due to a surge in natural gas demand amid a cold wave, which has led to a fuel shortage at power stations.

The move marks a rare occurrence of power outages during the winter season, a time typically not associated with such disruptions.

State-owned Tavanir, the Iranian electricity company, issued a statement advising citizens to check with local authorities for detailed power outage schedules.

The company explained that the blackouts were a result of constraints on fuel supply to power plants, coupled with the Iranian government's decision to ban the use of mazut (a type of heavy fuel oil) at these stations.

This decision was made to curb pollution in major industrial cities, where air quality has been a growing concern.

The switch from mazut to cleaner energy sources has been a contentious issue in recent years. 

Environmental and health experts have raised alarms over the high sulfur content of mazut, which exceeds international fuel standards and poses significant risks to public health and the environment.

This is the first time in decades that Iran has had to implement power cuts during the winter months, typically a season of lower electricity demand.

The country has traditionally faced such disruptions in the summer due to high electricity consumption during heatwaves. 

However, the increased demand for natural gas, exacerbated by the cold weather, has led to an unprecedented situation.

Despite Iran's vast reserves of natural gas—about 33.6 trillion cubic meters, the second-largest in the world after Russia—gas shortages have been an ongoing issue.

The country’s electricity sector consumes nearly 250 million cubic meters of gas per day, which accounts for about one-third of Iran’s total gas demand.