Iran is experiencing the harshest winter season in recent years. In a statement after his visit to the National Gas Company in the capital Tehran, Iranian President Ibrahim Reisi said that vacationing government offices is not a solution to reduce the use of natural gas, but a decision was taken in this direction to avoid gas cuts in homes.
Noting that there are no gas cuts across the country, Reisi said, “Our Oil Ministry must do what is necessary to increase natural gas and oil reserves. Unfortunately, gas cuts have occurred in some regions. It is not a solution to vacation state offices and institutions. However, our priority today is not to cut gas in homes.”
NATURAL GAS CANNOT BE SUPPLIED TO AT LEAST 90 THOUSAND HOUSES
In the news in the Iranian press, it was reported that tens of thousands of Iranians are deprived of the natural gas necessary to heat their homes. It has been stated that gas distribution to at least 90 thousand residences has been cut off since last night due to the problem in natural gas supply, especially in the province of Khorasan, located in the northeast of the country. Speaking to Iranian state television, Razavi Khorasan Governor Yakup Ali Nazari said that due to the extremely cold weather in the province, natural gas flow was cut and they warned that they should be more sensitive than the people of the region to save energy.
GOVERNMENT OFFICES ANNOUNCED HOLIDAY
While some government offices were suspended in 7 provinces of Iran in order to reduce the use of natural gas and save energy, it was decided to continue education remotely in some provinces. While government offices and universities in the capital Tehran were vacationed on Saturdays and Sundays, which are accepted as the beginning of the week in Iran, it was warned that the natural gas restriction would continue to save energy. The Tehran Governorate, on the other hand, asked public employees who are in the compulsory service sector to come to their workplaces wearing thick clothes because the gas flow was cut off.
GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND UNIVERSITIES HOLIDAY
In the state of Hamedan, government offices and universities were closed tomorrow to reduce the use of natural gas. In Gulistan and Gilan provinces, it was decided to continue education remotely and to reduce the number of employees in government offices by half. In South and North Khorasan and Gazvin states, where the cold air wave was effective and natural gas flow to some houses was cut off, education was suspended until Thursday. On the other hand, it was stated that gas flow to many compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel stations in the state was cut off. In addition, in the news in the press, it was stated that the education program called “ŞAD”, which is used to continue education remotely, did not work due to the internet interruption in the country and that the students could not attend the classes online.
“TURKMENISTAN GAS SHUT DOWN CAUSED A PROBLEM IN THE NATURAL GAS SUPPLY IN THE COUNTRY”
Iranian Petroleum Minister Cevat Uci, who gave information on the restrictions taken within the scope of energy saving in the capital Tehran, announced that natural gas use decreased by 2.5 million cubic meters per day, with the closure of government offices and universities in Tehran. Uci stated that the flow of gas continues in an area of 480 thousand kilometers across the country, and that they are experiencing difficulties in gas supply due to the cutoff of gas from Turkmenistan in the provinces located in the northeast of the country. Uci said, “The cut off of Turkmenistan gas caused a problem in the natural gas supply in the country. Unfortunately, gas cuts were made due to the problems in the South Khorasan province. We are trying to reduce the use of natural gas and ensure a smooth flow of gas throughout the country.”
In his speech on October 18, Uci warned that 80 billion dollars of domestic and foreign investment is needed in order to avoid natural gas shortages in the country during the winter months, and that the country may face a shortage of natural gas this winter.
Iran is the second country after Russia with 34 trillion cubic meters of natural gas reserves in the world. However, due to insufficient infrastructure, Iran is experiencing difficulties in extracting, transmitting and operating natural gas. Iran, which holds 17 percent of the world’s proven natural gas reserves, needs investments to develop large gas fields.
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