MNA � Iran�s electricity consumption hit a new record on Monday as it reached the peak of 57,681 megawatts, the Energy Ministry�s spokesman for the power department said.

�The country's power consumption has rose by about 1,200 MW compared to Sunday,� Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi announced.
Noting that in the past four decades, the electricity consumption peak has always increased by 7 percent each year, he said: "This summer, with the cooperation of all household, industrial, commercial and agricultural sectors during peak hours, the peak consumption has increased by only 1 percent compared to last year�.
Last year, in 2018, the highest electricity consumption of 57,097 MW was registered on July 11.

Officials say Iran needs to expand power generating capacity by 5,000 MW annually, or 20,000 MW till 2022 to meet rising demand at home and expand its footprint in the regional energy market.

The Energy Ministry has devised plans to increase the generating capacity of renewables, by 5,000 MW in the same period.