Financial Tribune - The average efficiency of thermal power plants has reached 38.1% compared to the global average that is 37%, head of Iran�s Thermal Power Plants Holding Company said.

�Conversion of single-cycle power plants (gas-powered) into combined cycles can help raise the efficiency to 40%,� Mohsen Tarztalab was quoted as saying by IRNA.

Thermal plants account for 80% of Iran�s total power generation (84,000 MW), he said, adding that steam-powered, gas-powered and combined-cycle plants constitute 19 gigawatts, 25 GW and 23 GW of the thermal units, respectively.

Of the total thermal output (67 gigawatts), 25 GW is produced by gas-powered facilities that have efficiency levels of less than 32% and their conversion to combined cycles can help increase thermal power efficiency by 4% and save12 billion cubic of natural gas a year.