WANA (Jun 08) – How Power Outages Are Reshaping Daily Life and Business in Tehran. “When the power goes out, I have to close down that day because my job depends on electricity, and I don’t get paid on the day my work is closed, now the power goes out twice a week, these days are deducted from my salary.” Azizollah Malaki, a factory worker, shares his experiences of working during the power outages.

Carpenters stand following a power outage at a carpentry workshop in Tehran, Iran, June 1, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

For nearly three decades, Iranians had lived without major power cuts. However, over the past couple of years, a new reality has emerged: scheduled blackouts lasting up to two hours a day, often during peak daylight hours, particularly in the sweltering summer months.

 

With the early onset of heat and an increase in electricity consumption in the first months of the year, warnings about an unprecedented imbalance in the country’s electricity grid are more serious than ever.

 

Statistics indicate that electricity consumption in Iran’s upcoming summer may reach a peak of 85,000 megawatts, while the grid’s generation capacity is estimated at around 65,000 megawatts at best. This means that Iran will face a gap of 20,000 megawatts between production and consumption.

 

As reported by Local News Agencies, the rise in the use of cooling devices, which contributes approximately 35,000 megawatts during the hot season, is a key factor in disrupting electricity supply and causing power outages.

 

This power cut’s impact on Iran’s industrial and commercial sectors has been severe. While larger companies may have some resources to adapt, it is the small and mid-sized businesses, the economic backbone of Iran, that are suffering the most.

 

Amirhossein, the owner of an electric motor shop, tells WANA News Agency reporters that sales are up, but he isn’t celebrating. “The sales of electric motors have increased a lot compared to before;  two years ago they were sold two a month, but now they are twenty a week..”

Portable generators are displayed at a store in Tehran, Iran, June 2, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

Electric motors, essentially generators, have become a lifeline for homes and businesses trying to navigate the blackout schedules. However, not everyone can afford them. Fuel is costly, parts wear out, and maintenance adds up.

 

“Of course, everyone loses in a power outage; workshops, manufacturing, residential… The people who lose the most are the people who are sick at home and need electricity seriously, for example, I’ve seen people who have patients connected to an oxygen machine and really need electricity.” says Amirhossein 

 

 

These outages have an effect on everyone’s life in some way; across Tehran, residents are adjusting their routines to avoid being caught off guard. Families wake up early to charge phones and prepare meals. Shops post handwritten notes announcing blackout hours. Students miss online classes. In the heat of summer, even sitting indoors becomes unbearable without fans or air conditioning.

 

The energy crisis hasn’t gone unnoticed on the world stage. In a recent speech, former U.S. President Donald Trump referenced the blackouts, blaming the Iranian government and its energy management policies. While his remarks were widely criticised within Iran, they echoed a growing sense of internal frustration.

 

Citizens and business owners alike are questioning why a country with immense energy reserves is facing such shortages. “A country like Iran that has everything (it is rich in resources); has water, electricity, and gas, and has four seasons, it can not have a power outage and a water shortage! So this is the mismanagement and lack of attention,” says Amin Yarmohammadi, the owner of a supermarket that had to purchase a generator to avoid further harm to his business.

 

Amin adds; “Really, this blow to our business, in the most profitable time for the shop forced us to buy an electric motor,If you look here, we have ten or eleven refrigerators and freezers here, and we have ice cream and dairy products that melt and may spoil and cause us harm..”

A carpenter works following a power outage at a carpentry workshop in Tehran, Iran, June 1, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

While official statements have cited rising consumption, old infrastructure, and climate-related droughts impacting hydroelectric output, many believe mismanagement and a lack of investment are at the core of the crisis.

 

In a city like Tehran, resilience is already a familiar trait. However, this time, the difficulty lies not in adjusting to new circumstances but in enduring an unwanted regression to previous times.

Power Outages in Tehran – Iran

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