President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged accelerated development of solar power plants in Iran to solve the perennial shortage of electricity. Addressing through video conference the opening of a 250 MW solar power plant and commencement of work on another 450 MW installation, he said all the existing contracts should be fulfilled within one year. Iran's Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi reported that the new projects raised the country's total renewable generation capacity to 2,550 MW, generating electricity for approximately 145,000 homes. Governors from various provinces also provided reports on local solar progress in the framework of a concerted bid to increase power production and reduce pressure on the national network. Pezeshkian has noted the necessity of giving priority to development in southern provinces bordering the Persian Gulf due to their solar potential.