Strategies to deal with energy imbalances in the cold season; from the need to form a Ministry of Energy to liberalizing gas prices

According to Energy Press, winter is coming and energy imbalance has once again presented Iran with a serious challenge. In an exclusive interview, energy expert Hossein Mirafazli warns that over-reliance on gas for home heating has put the country on the brink of a crisis. According to the National Iranian Gas Company, domestic gas consumption reached 232 million cubic meters per day in the third week of Mehr 1404 (October 23, 2021) and is expected to reach 600 million cubic meters at the peak of the cold.
Repeated Pattern of Energy Imbalance in Winter
He explains that domestic gas consumption increases significantly, reaching about 65 percent of total consumption, while other sectors account for only 35 percent. This situation forces power plants to use diesel fuel, which costs billions of dollars, and fuels such as mazut with high sulfur content cause environmental and health problems. According to this expert, the only solution is to create a balance in the energy system. He emphasizes that the domestic sector is overly dependent on gas, and nearly 90 percent of home heating is provided by this source, which is a strategic mistake that has been carried out for decades without examining its consequences. Despite the existence of numerous research centers such as the Majlis Research Center, the Petroleum Research Institute, and centers affiliated with the ministries of oil and energy, no deep thought and long-term planning have been done on this issue, and the result is heavy losses for the country and the people. Mirafazli, who has repeatedly addressed this issue in his articles and notes, insists on the necessity of forming a Ministry of Energy as an urgent priority to address these structural weaknesses.
The need to establish an energy ministry
As the cold season approaches and the end of October approaches, Iran is once again facing the challenge of energy imbalance. The increase in domestic gas consumption during the cold months of the year not only leads to a restriction of gas supply for industrial and power plant sectors, but also entails huge costs such as the use of alternative fuels such as diesel and mazut, which create serious environmental and economic problems. In an exclusive interview, prominent energy expert Hossein Mirafazli emphasizes the need for the government to adopt immediate and long-term solutions and warns that continued excessive dependence on gas is the result of weak strategic planning. Regarding the solutions that the government should adopt in this regard, Mirafazli says: “Establishing an energy ministry is a necessity, and every day of delay in it will cause irreparable damage.”