Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia to Establish a Powerful Electric Grid

TEHRAN (Iran News) Abbas Aliabadi, Iran’s Minister of Energy, along with senior ministry officials, met with Shahin Mustafayev, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister, and his delegation on Tuesday, January 23, 2025. The discussions centered around various technical and engineering topics in the water and electricity sectors, including the electrical interconnection between Iran and Azerbaijan, the construction and completion of the Giz Galasi Hydropower Plant, and environmental studies for joint engineering projects.

Aliabadi emphasized the need to accelerate the completion of the Giz Galasi Hydropower Plant, highlighting the sufficient water resources from the Aras River. He stated that the project presents a valuable opportunity to generate electricity at the Iran-Azerbaijan border and should be expedited.

He further expressed Iran’s readiness to cooperate with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Energy and environmental organizations for the construction and operation of the Ordubad and Marazad dams. He stressed the importance of conducting environmental studies to ensure sustainable project execution.

Addressing electrical connectivity, Aliabadi noted Azerbaijan’s strategic position in linking Iran’s electricity network with Russia. He highlighted that with Russia’s willingness to connect, Azerbaijan could play a pivotal role in establishing a robust regional power grid connecting the three countries.

Additionally, Aliabadi mentioned Azerbaijan’s electricity challenges in supplying power to the Nakhchivan region. He stated that Iran is prepared to import electricity via Azerbaijan and deliver it to Nakhchivan at the zero border point to help alleviate power shortages in the region.

Shahin Mustafayev welcomed the proposal for an electrical connection between Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia. He emphasized that the successful implementation of this initiative would require thorough technical and engineering studies and expressed optimism that the three countries could achieve results in the shortest possible time through mutual cooperation.

Mustafayev also pointed out Azerbaijan’s limitations in supplying electricity to Nakhchivan due to the lack of a direct land border. He stated that Azerbaijan is ready to supply 1,000 megawatts of electricity to Iran through its eastern borders and receive the same amount of power at the Iran-Nakhchivan border.

He acknowledged the expertise of Iranian engineers in dam and hydropower plant construction and expressed Azerbaijan’s need for Iranian technical support in completing the Giz Galasi Hydropower Plant and constructing the Ordubad and Marazad dams.

The meeting concluded with an agreement for joint technical and engineering commissions from Iran and Azerbaijan to hold regular sessions aimed at completing and implementing joint projects.