It also affected Turkey: Tens of thousands of homes were left without natural gas in Iran.
Unusually cold weather hit the entire country yesterday, leaving tens of thousands of Iranians without natural gas to heat their homes, Iranian state broadcaster reported. In recent days, the Petroleum Pipeline Transport Joint Stock Company (BOTAŞ) also announced that the delivery of natural gas from Iran decreased by 70 percent.
Yaghoub-Ali Nazari, governor of Iran’s Khorasan Razavi province, told national television that gas distribution was cut off on Saturday night to at least 90,000 residents in the country’s north-eastern province.
COLD WEATHER EFFECT
At least four northern provinces and some counties near the country’s eastern borders also experienced supply disruptions, according to reports on state television. The authorities indicated that much of the country is under the influence of cold weather, which has increased the demand for heating to record levels.
Authorities today ordered the closure of schools, government offices and private companies in Tehran province. The administration also urged people to refrain from traveling to the city of Mashhad, which is visited by millions every year and is considered sacred by Iranian society.
Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji said on Thursday supply shortages have intensified after Turkmenistan halted gas exports to meet domestic demand.
SHIPPING TO TURKEY DECREASED 70 PERCENT
BOTAŞ recently announced that the delivery of natural gas from Iran decreased by 70 percent as of January 1. The situation was claimed to have occurred due to a malfunction in the Iranian transmission network and negotiations are continuing to resolve the malfunction.
In the announcement on the BOTAŞ website, it was indicated that negotiations are continuing to fix the malfunction in a short time.
The statement noted:
“It has been reported that the natural gas supply to our country from the Gürbulak-Ağrı entry point will be delivered below 70 percent from January 1, 2023, due to a malfunction caused by the transmission network. Iranian.
Necessary attempts have been made in the presence of our Iranian interlocutors to eliminate the malfunction in a short time and the problem is accurately followed.
In this winter period, all necessary measures have been taken to prevent the use of natural gas throughout the country from being negatively affected and our additional gas needs are met from our natural gas storage facilities.