Rudshur Power Plant Joins Iran’s Combined Cycle Power Plant Club
With the commissioning of the steam section of the Rudshur Power Plant, the facility has officially joined Iran’s fleet of combined-cycle power plants, marking a significant step toward enhancing power generation efficiency and reducing fuel consumption in the country’s electricity sector.
The gas units of the Rudshur Power Plant entered commercial operation in 2007, utilizing Siemens F-Class gas turbines. As part of efforts to improve the plant’s efficiency, a project was implemented to convert the facility from a simple-cycle to a combined-cycle power plant under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) arrangement. The project integrated three gas turbine units and three Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSGs) with a single steam turbine unit rated at 345 MW.
The Rudshur Combined-Cycle Project is recognized as the largest combined-cycle block in Iran. From a technical perspective, it is also considered one of the most notable projects in the country’s power industry due to its unique plant configuration and the use of triple-pressure HRSG technology. The project was implemented with an investment of approximately €300 million, including €220 million in financing from the National Development Fund of Iran through Bank of Industry and Mine. The steam unit was synchronized with the national power grid during the summer of 2025.
The commissioning of the steam section has increased the plant’s generating capacity by 345 MW, bringing its total installed capacity to 1,137 MW. Furthermore, the plant’s efficiency has improved from 39% to 57%, achieving this gain without any additional fuel consumption. The project utilizes thermal energy contained in the exhaust gases of the gas turbines—energy that would otherwise be wasted—by recovering it through HRSGs and converting it into additional electricity generation.
According to estimates, the project will save approximately 700 million cubic meters of fuel annually compared with producing the same amount of electricity in conventional gas-fired power plants. In addition to reducing electricity generation costs, the project is expected to deliver substantial environmental benefits by lowering emissions, improving energy efficiency, and promoting the optimal use of national resources.
Due to its strategic location within Iran’s power network and its significant role in supplying electricity to the Greater Tehran area, the Rudshur Power Plant holds particular importance. The commissioning of its steam section can therefore be regarded as a major step toward enhancing grid stability, strengthening energy security, improving the resilience of power generation infrastructure, and advancing sustainable development objectives within Iran’s electricity industry.
