President Hassan Rouhani authorized construction of Sahand F-class power plant in a groundbreaking ceremony held via videoconference on Thursday, August 1, 2019.
Sahand Combined Cycle Power Plant, located in Bonab, East Azerbaijan Province, consists of one gas-fired unit with a capacity of 307 MWs and one steam cycle with a power generation capacity of 144 MWs (451 MWs overall). Upon completion, the power plant will have an efficiency of 58 percent.
Thermal Power Plants Holding Company is the client of the project and MAPNA Group serves as the contractor.
Ghods Niroo Engineering Company and NIROO Consulting Engineers Company serve as project supervisors.
The gas-fired unit will be synchronized to the grid by the summer of 2021 according to Homayoun Haeri, Deputy Power Minister for Electricity Affairs, who had attended the ceremony.
The power plant runs primarily on natural gas, but can also consume diesel fuel for power generation.
The new power plant is adjacent to an older 650-MW plant in vicinity of the city of Bonab. Upon completion, an overall power capacity of 1000 MWs will provide industrial and agricultural sectors in the southern part of East Azerbaijan Province with necessary electricity to develop their operations.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, MAPNA President Abbas Aliabadi highlighted the company’s capabilities, including its large-scale projects in Iraq.
Aliabadi added that the project could be completed before the 24-month deadline if the necessary finance was provided.