Mohsen Asadi, the CEO of the Gas Company of Mazandaran Province, emphasized the importance of alternative fuel supply and infrastructure resilience during the nationwide energy imbalance management exercise held on October 26, 2023. He pointed out the possibility of gas supply limitations in the winter season, adding: "The readiness of critical infrastructure, equipping heating systems with alternative fuel, and training agencies must be pursued seriously."
Issuance of Resilience Guidelines
Asadi also announced the issuance of resilience guidelines and the continuation of services in the northern provinces, stating: "The governors of the three northern provinces are responsible for leading the implementation of this directive, and achieving its goals requires the participation of all responsible agencies." This action aims to improve the resilience of infrastructure against energy emergency conditions.
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Consumption Management and Inter-Agency Cooperation
Mohammad Mahdi Pouyandeh, the Director General of Passive Defense and Crisis Management at the Ministry of Oil, emphasized that consumption management should be pursued at the national level. He stated: "The continuity of production, transmission, distribution, and supply of energy carriers is one of the vital missions of the Ministry of Oil, and the continuation of this mission in emergency conditions requires continuous preparedness and coordination among all agencies."
Pouyandeh pointed to the damage to some oil and gas infrastructure during the imposed war, stressing the need for planning for the difficult conditions ahead. He added: "The energy imbalance, which has been one of the country's challenges in recent years, has taken on more serious dimensions under current conditions."
Readiness of Northern Provinces for Energy Imbalance Management
Pouyandeh listed the readiness of the northern half of the country as a priority in planning for energy imbalance management and urged the companies under the Ministry of Oil and other responsible agencies to develop their plans and projects for emergency conditions. He also emphasized the need for exercises to assess operational readiness and inter-agency coordination.
He added: "Increasing the resilience of the national gas network, in addition to technical and operational measures, requires the cooperation of the public and the participation of all agencies in reducing and optimizing consumption." The Ministry of Oil and its affiliated companies must also implement effective programs in public awareness and education to reform consumption patterns.
Immediate Actions for Emergency Preparedness
Pouyandeh appreciated the actions of the National Iranian Gas Company and provincial gas companies in the area of consumption awareness, stating: "Public cooperation in energy consumption management can play an important role in overcoming difficult conditions and maintaining the stability of the national gas network."
The Director General of Passive Defense at the Ministry of Oil reminded the necessity of developing emergency plans and continuous drills, stating: "Consumption management and appropriate communication should be pursued simultaneously with the aim of increasing the necessary preparedness for potential future situations."
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