Iran has reportedly approached global industrial corporations Siemens and Rolls-Royce, as the latest step in its hunt for overseas investment in its energy infrastructure.
Hamid Chitchian, Iran’s energy minister, met representatives of both companies in London recently to discuss collaboration in power generation technology, according to the Financial Times.
The talks were focussed on so-called decentralized power generators that can provide more localised and flexible supplies of electricity than big power stations.
No deals were struck but Chitchian told the paper that Siemens and Rolls-Royce were interested and he hoped to ‘reach a result’ soon.
Rolls-Royce said the talks with Chitchian involved the potential use of piston engines made by the group’s power systems business in Germany.
‘The minister requested a meeting with Rolls-Royce to discuss the renewal of Iran’s energy infrastructure and whether our diesel and gas power generation systems have a role to play’, it said.
Siemens said: ‘We have a close dialogue with the Iranian government and local partners in the area of infrastructure, energy and technology. We have been active in Iran for about 150 years … and we have never left the country’.
Any deals would add to a provisional licensing agreement in March to allow Mapna Group, an Iranian energy and infrastructure conglomerate, to manufacture Siemens’ F-class turbines in Iran for use in gas-fired power stations.
