TEHRAN — Iran’s National Copper Industries Company (NICICO) plans to add 800 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy to its power supply to address energy imbalances and ensure self-sufficiency, a senior company official said on Sunday.
Gholamreza Molataheri, NICICO Deputy for Strategic Planning, said the company’s “Kimia Project,” aimed at producing one million tons of copper cathode annually, will require 200 million cubic meters of water, 1,800 MW of electricity, and 1,800 million cubic meters of natural gas.
To meet its water demands, NICICO is leveraging two desalination and water transfer pipelines from the Persian Gulf, which will supply water to central Iran. In East Azerbaijan Province, where the Sungoun Copper Complex is located, NICICO will treat wastewater from nearby industrial towns such as Ahar and Varzeqan, reducing reliance on fresh water.
The company is also addressing its energy needs with three 60 MW…
