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Last Updated:March 22, 2026, 14:30 IST
Trump has issued 48-hr ultimatum to Iran, threatening to "obliterate" its power plants if Strait of Hormuz is not reopened: Does US have weapons? Will strikes have global impact?
The heavy water nuclear facility near Arak, 150 miles southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran. (AP File)
United States (US) President Donald Trump on March 22 has issued a high-stakes 48-hour ultimatum to Iran, threatening to “obliterate" its power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not fully reopened.
Does US have the weapons? What would it mean for the world? News18 explains.
TRUMP’S 48-HOUR ULTIMATUM TO IRAN
In a Truth Social post, Trump stated the US will “hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!" if the waterway isn’t opened “WITHOUT THREAT" by late Monday (23:44 GMT).
The threat follows a month of US-Israeli strikes and a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that has caused global oil prices to skyrocket.
Iran’s military Khatam Al-Anbiya has warned that any attack on its energy infrastructure will lead to retaliatory strikes against all US-linked energy, IT, and desalination infrastructure in the region, according to Al Jazeera and other news reports.
WHAT IS IRAN’S POWER INFRASTRUCTURE?
Iran manages a vast and growing energy network:
Iran had plans to launch 1,000 new water and power projects by March 2026 to boost its regional capacity. Analysts suggest the “biggest" plant mentioned by Trump likely refers to the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which is Iran’s only operating nuclear reactor.
Iran is one of the largest electricity producers in the region, second only to Saudi Arabia, producing over 385,000 GWh.
Major Power Generation Facilities
Iran’s power grid is primarily fueled by natural gas (nearly 80%), followed by oil and hydropower.
Nuclear Energy
Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant: Located on the Persian Gulf coast; it is Iran’s first commercial nuclear reactor. As of March 17, 2026, a projectile struck a structure approximately 350 metres from the reactor, though the reactor itself remains undamaged. [1, 2]
Combined Cycle & Thermal (Natural Gas/Oil)
Damavand Power Plant: Situated near Tehran, it is one of the largest thermal power plants in the Middle East.
Shahid Salimi Neka Power Plant: Located in Mazandaran Province; a massive facility providing power to northern Iran.
Rudeshur Power Plant: A major gas-fired plant in Markazi Province with an installed capacity of roughly 2,000 MW.
Kerman Power Plant: A significant combined cycle plant serving the southeast region.
Montazer Ghaem Power Plant: Located in Karaj; critical for the stability of the grid surrounding the capital.
Ramin Power Plant: Located in Ahvaz; it is the largest thermal power plant in southwestern Iran.
Hydroelectric Power
Karun-3 and Karun-4: Located on the Karun River in Khuzestan Province; these are among the largest double-curvature arch dams in the world.
Gotvand Dam: A major hydroelectric facility also located on the Karun River.
Bakhtiari Dam: Under development in the Zagros Mountains, intended to be one of the highest dams globally.
Renewable Energy
Jarqavieh Solar Farm: One of the larger solar installations located in Isfahan Province.
Manjil and Rudbar Wind Farms: Located in Gilan Province, these utilize the high wind speeds of the Sefidrud valley.
Iran has around 130–300+ power plants. At least 134 major thermal power plants are officially recorded. Iran’s electricity capacity of 90,000–92,000 megawatts (MW), makes it one of the largest power producers in the Middle East. Its thermal (gas-based) power plants provide 80–95% of electricity. These are the most important and most vulnerable targets in a conflict. The hydropower plants are used for electricity and water management.
Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant produces 1 GW of energy. Renewable energy such as solar and wind is still very small. The massive South Pars gas field supplies most fuel.
HAS IRAN’S POWER INFRA BEEN ATTACKED IN THE WAR?
On March 17, a projectile struck the premises of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, destroying a structure approximately 350 metres from the reactor. Both Rosatom (Russia’s state nuclear agency) and the IAEA confirmed no damage to the reactor itself and no radiation leaks.
The plant’s first unit was placed in a precautionary shutdown, and Rosatom has begun evacuating non-essential personnel.
Iran’s Armed Forces have warned that any attack on its energy facilities will be met with strikes on US energy infrastructure throughout the region.
Beyond Bushehr, sites like Natanz (uranium enrichment) and Isfahan (nuclear technology center) have sustained damage in previous 2025-2026 military operations.
While Iran has a goal of 10,000 MW of renewable capacity by 2025, solar and wind currently account for roughly 4-5% of total installed capacity. Many southern power plants are integrated with desalination units; a recent strike on Qeshm Island reportedly left 30 villages without drinking water.
CAN US MILITARY DESTROY IRAN’S ENERGY PLANTS?
The US possesses a specialised arsenal designed to penetrate and destroy hardened infrastructure:
Bunker Busters: The GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) can penetrate up to 60 metres of earth or 18 metres of reinforced concrete.
Stealth Delivery: Only the B-2 Spirit and the newly operational B-21 Raider can deliver these 30,000-pound munitions.
Other weapons: The US military also uses 5,000-pound bombs to degrade underground facilities and Tomahawk cruise missiles for above-ground targets.
WHY US STRIKE CAN BE DISASTROUS FOR THE WORLD
A US strike on Iran’s power plants and the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant would trigger catastrophic environmental, humanitarian, and global economic consequences.
1. The ‘Chernobyl’ risk to the Persian Gulf: The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is the primary concern for the international community. Most Gulf nations (UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia) rely on desalination for nearly all their drinking water. A strike on Bushehr that causes a radiation leak into the Persian Gulf could contaminate the water supply for millions of people across the region. Prevailing winds often blow from Iran toward the Arabian Peninsula, meaning a radiological disaster could force mass evacuations in neighboring countries.
2. Global energy and oil markets: Iran’s power plants are the heartbeat of its oil and gas industry. Without electricity, Iran cannot pump, refine, or export oil and natural gas. Threats to these plants often coincide with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Because 20% of the world’s oil passes through this choke point, any disruption to Iran’s energy stability creates immediate panic in global markets, sending crude oil prices skyrocketing. Brent crude, already over $110-$120 per barrel, could spike toward $150 if the conflict intensifies. The continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz blocks 20% of global oil and significant LNG supplies, threatening a “grocery supply emergency" in the Gulf and industrial deindustrialization in Europe. Markets have already reacted sharply; further strikes would likely trigger deeper global stock market declines and fuel stagflation.
US-Iran-Israel War Live Updates HERE
3. Regional power interconnectivity: Iran is a major exporter of electricity to its neighbours. Iraq relies heavily on Iranian electricity and gas to keep its grid running. A collapse of the Iranian power grid would likely trigger a blackout and subsequent political unrest in Iraq. Iran has sought to connect its grid to Russia, Turkey, and Pakistan, making its infrastructure a critical link in the Eurasian energy supply chain.
4. Retaliation cycles: In the current 2026 conflict, Iran has adopted a “tit-for-tat" military doctrine. If Iran’s plants are hit, they have pledged to strike US and allied energy infrastructure throughout the Middle East. This turns a local power outage into a global energy war involving facilities owned by international oil giants.
5 Humanitarian impact Destroying major plants like Damavand or Rudeshur would cause a systemic collapse of Iran’s electricity grid, affecting hospitals, water pumping, and basic survival for millions. Ongoing strikes have already reportedly killed over 1,400 people in Iran as of late March 2026.
THE GLOBAL CATASTROPHE WARNING
The destruction of these facilities or the continued blockade of the Strait would have catastrophic global effects. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has already described the current conflict as the “greatest global energy and food security challenge in history".
The Strait carries 20% of the world’s oil supply; its closure has already caused crude oil prices to soar. Nations like Sri Lanka have already raised fuel prices by 25%, and global supply chains for urea and fertilizers are under threat. Striking an active nuclear plant like Bushehr could cause a catastrophic disaster throughout the Middle East, according to warnings from Russia.
With agency inputs
First Published:
March 22, 2026, 14:28 IST
News explainers Can Trump ‘Obliterate’ Iran’s Power Plants? 5 Reasons Why It Could Spell Disaster For The World
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