In Iran, the hydroelectric power station on the Karhe River, located in the western province of Khuzestan, has been shut down due to drought. This was reported by Amir Mahmoudi, the director of the Karhe hydroelectric power station and reservoir, as conveyed by RIA Novosti.
Mahmoudi noted that "the power units of this station were stopped due to the decrease in water levels in the reservoir. The sluices of the lower tier of the dam were reopened to supply water downstream," as reported by the state television and radio company IRIB.
Currently, the water level in the Karhe reservoir is 180 meters, which is 40 meters below the required level for the normal operation of the station.
As of November 8, the Fars agency reported that 19 reservoirs in the country, which is almost 10% of all operational ones, are on the verge of complete depletion, with water reserves in them being less than 5%.
On November 11, during his speech in parliament about the government's work, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reported serious problems with water supply. He noted that this year, the level of precipitation in the country was only 3% of normal indicators. Pezeshkian emphasized that the water shortage affects all areas of life and requires a comprehensive approach to solving it. The president proposed the creation of expert commissions involving specialists and civil servants to work on this issue.
Earlier, Hashem Amini, the head of the Iranian state water resources company, stated that about half of the urban population of the country is facing a shortage of drinking water. He also provided data showing that over the past 30 years, the volume of renewable freshwater sources in Iran has decreased from 132 to 90 billion cubic meters — by more than 30%, while water consumption continues to grow.
