More than 92% of Iran’s electricity production is obtained from thermal and fossil fuel power plants, while hydroelectric plants only contribute to less than 8% of the total electricity generation. The plants require a significant amount of water for various purposes, including cooling down equipment, and condensers, compensating for water leakage in the boilers’ cycle, injecting water into gas turbines to cool down the entering air, firefighting systems, general consumption (restrooms, drinking, and irrigation of green spaces), and removing pollution from ventilation System.
Iran requires 105 million cubic meters of water per year to meet its electricity needs. Assuming that each person uses 190 liters of water per day, the electricity industry in Iran uses the same amount of water as a city with a population of 1,500,000. Currently, thousands of boreholes are being used to extract water from aquifers to meet the water needs of Iranian power plants.