TEHRAN – Iran will inaugurate 1,000 water and electricity projects nationwide by the end of the current Iranian calendar year in March 2026, Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi said on Monday.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of water and electricity projects in southwest Tehran, Aliabadi said the new initiatives will add 4,000 megawatts of electricity generation capacity to the national grid.

He added that solar power projects will also come online, contributing an additional 7,000 megawatts to the country’s electricity network.

“We will witness the inauguration of new water and power projects every week until the end of the year,” the minister said, stressing that equitable distribution of water and electricity remains a key government goal.

“In the future, these problems will be resolved,” Aliabadi added.

The government has been ramping up investment in renewable energy as part of its broader strategy to diversify energy sources and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. According to earlier statements by officials, the Energy Ministry aims to install 10,000 megawatts of renewable capacity over the next few years, with a significant portion coming from solar and wind farms in arid and semi-arid provinces.

Aliabadi had earlier emphasized that equitable distribution of water and electricity remains a top priority. "We are determined to eliminate disparities in access, especially in rural and underdeveloped regions," he said, adding that several of the new projects are focused on strengthening infrastructure in provinces with limited access to clean water and stable electricity.

In addition to power generation, the minister said the projects include the expansion of water treatment facilities, development of wastewater networks, and modernization of irrigation systems to support agriculture in drought-prone areas.

The Energy Ministry recently announced the implementation of public-private partnership models to speed up project delivery. Under this scheme, local and foreign investors are invited to co-finance energy and water infrastructure initiatives, especially in renewable energy and desalination technologies.

With peak summer consumption pushing demand across the country, Iran has been working to avoid blackouts and water shortages by accelerating infrastructure development and encouraging more efficient energy use through smart metering and tariff reforms.

EF/MA