TEHRAN (AP) — Authorities in Iran ordered government offices and banks across much of the country to close Wednesday as surging summer temperatures and a worsening water crisis strain the power grid.
The state television announcement Tuesday is the second this summer. Iran hopes to ease electricity and water demand. As temperatures across the capital, Tehran, have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), authorities urged residents to avoid outdoor activities during peak heat hours and conserve water and energy.
Iran produces some 62,000 megawatts of electric energy per hour at its peak but needs about 80,000 megawatts to meet its needs.
Tehran and other cities already face two-hour electricity cuts every other day and experts warn cuts may increase to four hours. Protesters have gathered in front of Iran’s national electric provider, Tavanir, demanding better grid management.
Years of U.S. sanctions on Iran's oil and banking sectors, as well as difficulty in obtaining parts to operate and repair the electric grid, have made the country unable to properly maintain and upgrade its inefficient energy infrastructure.
Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the country's only nuclear power source, went online in 2011 with Russian help but produces only 1,000 megawatts per hour and goes offline for maintenance each year for two months.
Southern Iran is bearing the brunt of the heat. Abadan registered temperatures exceeding 50 Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) on Sunday, ranking the city among the hottest places on Earth during this summer's heat wave.
In recent years Tehran has contended with recurring heat extremes and weakened infrastructure. Wednesday's planned office closures echoes a similar one-day public holiday in July 2024 and a two-day action in 2023.
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