Explainer: What to know about Iran’s power plants - a possible next target in the war

The reactor building at the Russian-built Bushehr nuclear power plant. Iran currently has just the one operational nuclear power plant, with a capacity of 1000 megawatts - only a fraction of the country’s needs. Photo / Getty Images

More than three weeks into the Iran war, key infrastructure across the Middle East - from gas and oil facilities to nuclear sites - has come under fire.

Now, the conflict could spill over to power plants.

United States President Donald Trump has threatened to strike those located in Iran if Tehran does not reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, vital to global oil supplies, by Monday night (tomorrow morning NZT).

Iran has more than 90 power plants, some of them on the Gulf coast at the heart of the hostilities that began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.

About 38% of its electricity comes from combined-cycle plants, followed by gas-fired stations (26%).

Renewables make up 13% of output and nuclear energy only about 1%, according to the state IRNA agency, citing officials in December 2024.

Iran currently has just one operational nuclear power plant at Bushehr, with a capacity of 1000 megawatts - only a fraction of the country’s needs.

Russia helped build the plant.

Iran and Russia signed a US$25 billion ($42b) deal in September 2025 to build four nuclear plants in southern Iran, each with a capacity of about 1255 MW, according to IRNA.

Rationing electricity

An arid country, Iran regularly faces drought and sweltering summers, which push up electricity demand for air conditioning.

Despite its vast oil and gas resources, the country suffers from energy shortages due to ageing infrastructure and international sanctions.

Iran therefore sometimes has to ration electricity for lack of sufficient gas and fuel to run its plants.

The country’s largest power plant is in Damavand, on the outskirts of Tehran province.

It covers around 193ha and generates roughly 2900MW of electricity, according to MAPNA, a company involved in the construction of power plants and energy infrastructure.

The second largest is the Shahid Salimi Neka plant, in northern Mazandaran province, with a capacity of 2214MW.

The third, the Shahid Rajaee Combined Cycle Power Plant, is in northern Qazvin province, with a total capacity of 2042MW.

-Agence France-Presse