Iran (IMNA) - The introduction of the MGT-75 comes against a backdrop of escalating sanctions and economic challenges, positioning the turbine as a key instrument in Iran’s strategy to overcome external constraints and promote sustainable growth. The development represents the culmination of years of efforts combining technical expertise, strategic resolve, and ambition to reduce reliance on foreign technologies and imports.
Originally, in 2015, Iran’s MAPNA Group partnered with Germany’s Siemens to localize Class F turbine technology. However, this collaboration was halted due to intensified US sanctions, prompting Iran to accelerate indigenous development. This setback spurred industry and policymakers to invest deeply in building a fully domestic supply chain for advanced power-generation technology.
From an economic standpoint, producing the MGT-75 domestically saves crucial foreign currency. Imported turbines can cost around one million USD per megawatt of capacity. For Iran, with plans to add 10,000 MW to its grid, this could mean billions saved by shifting to homegrown turbines. Given current international financial restrictions, retaining such funds enhances economic resilience.
Iran faces a significant electricity supply-demand gap of approximately 15,000 MW during peak times, threatening industrial productivity and national stability. The MGT-75, capable of producing 190 to 220 MW in simple cycle operation, offers an efficient means to close this gap. Its deployment can reduce power shortages that previously disrupted industrial and social services, including hospitals and schools.
Replacing older turbines with the MGT-75 not only increases capacity but also improves fuel efficiency and lowers emissions, reducing operational costs and benefiting the financial health of the power sector. The turbine’s capacity to use hydrogen fuel further aligns Iran with global clean energy trends and opens prospects for future green energy exports.
Beyond cost savings, the domestic manufacturing of the MGT-75 stimulates job creation across manufacturing and supply chains, boosting incomes and driving local consumption. This supports a virtuous economic cycle while fostering a knowledge-based industrial sector.
Regionally, Iran stands to export the MGT-75 to energy-deficient markets in West and Central Asia, generating stable foreign currency and diversifying income away from oil. Such exports could also enhance Iran’s geopolitical influence by strengthening economic ties with energy-dependent neighbors.
Ultimately, Iran’s achievement in producing the MGT-75 embodies a powerful narrative of resilience under sanctions. Reducing technology dependence strengthens Iran’s negotiating position in geopolitics, securing critical infrastructure investments and underpinning economic stability.
The MGT-75 thus plays a foundational role in Iran’s energy security and macroeconomic sustainability, advancing industrial modernization and innovation. This breakthrough turns external pressure into an opportunity for technological progress, economic savings, employment, and export potential, marking a transformative step in Iran’s energy and economic development.
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