Arash Najafi, the head of the Energy Commission of the Chamber of Commerce, pointed out the possibility of gas restrictions in 11 provinces of the country, emphasizing that industries do not have the capacity to store gas, and in the event of a shortfall, many production units will be forced to reduce or halt their activities.
Gas Imbalance and Its Impact on Industries
According to recent reports, with the continued gas imbalance and the failure to return about 130 million cubic meters of production capacity to the grid, the possibility of 11 provinces facing gas outages or restrictions has been raised. This warning comes at a time when industries in the country are still grappling with the consequences of energy restrictions from previous years, and concerns about the repetition of production line shutdowns in the cold season have increased.
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Najafi commented on this issue, stating: "The readiness of industries to face gas shortages means having alternative methods; however, industries do not have the capability to store gas, and their consumption patterns are also different."
Vulnerability of Steel and Petrochemical Industries
The head of the Energy Commission of the Chamber of Commerce emphasized the vulnerability of steel and petrochemical industries to gas restrictions, adding: "These two industrial groups have a special need for gas and are considered among the country's foreign exchange earners. Therefore, restrictions on gas supply can cause very serious damage to their operations."
Najafi regarding the Chamber of Commerce's estimate of potential damages resulting from gas restrictions this winter stated: "Even if such an estimate exists, it will not necessarily be announced." He also clarified regarding the impact of gas restrictions on production and the fulfillment of export commitments by Iranian enterprises: "Such an event will certainly occur, and gas restrictions will affect production and the export commitments of companies."
The head of the Energy Commission of the Chamber of Commerce explained the potential increase in production costs if alternative fuels are used: "The main issue is not just the increase in costs, but the accessibility to alternative fuels is important." He also said: "The government has not taken serious action to reform consumption patterns over the past 15 years, and its ability to manage energy imbalance is in question."
Consequences of Energy Imbalance and Government Management
Najafi criticized the performance of governments in managing energy imbalance, stating: "The government should have taken serious measures to reform consumption patterns and reduce gas and electricity consumption over the past 10 to 15 years, but such actions have not been taken."
He also discussed the impact of escalating political and military tensions on the activities of industries in the country, saying: "In the event of conflict, industrial activities will certainly be affected. If, God forbid, a conflict occurs, there is a possibility of serious attacks on the country's infrastructure, which could lead to a great disaster."
Najafi concluded by referring to Article 25 of the Continuous Improvement of the Business Environment Law, stating: "Despite the prediction of mechanisms to compensate for the damages of production units, nothing specific has happened in this regard, and the damages caused by electricity restrictions remain uncompensated."
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