‘We will make groundbreaking decisions in 2025’: Energy Minister

Türkiye’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar emphasized the significance of transformative investments in the electricity generation and transmission infrastructure, vowing that 2025 will be a pivotal year for bold and groundbreaking decisions.

At the 15th Sector Evaluation Meeting of the Electricity Distribution Companies Association (ELDER) in Istanbul on Friday, Minister Bayraktar addressed representatives of the electricity distribution sector, highlighting significant changes ahead.

“Our top priority will be addressing deficiencies and focusing on areas that need improvement. Just as we have done this year, we will continue to monitor these efforts closely in the future,” Bayraktar stated.

Bayraktar also pointed out that some companies are nearing the final 10 years of their licenses. He emphasized the rapid transformations in the energy sector, driven by consumers becoming producers, digitalization, and risks like cybersecurity.

“As production evolves, and digitalization brings both opportunities and risks, we cannot expect services to be delivered using outdated approaches. We will approach the 2026-2030 tariff period with a fresh perspective,” Bayraktar noted.

Renewable energy targets

Minister Bayraktar highlighted Türkiye’s growing reliance on renewable energy, noting that all electricity consumed in houses is now sourced from wind and solar energy.

“Türkiye’s electricity demand is projected to reach at least 510 billion kilowatt-hours by 2035. To meet this demand, we have ambitious goals across all areas of renewable energy,” he said.

“We aim to quadruple our wind and solar installed capacity to 120,000 megawatts over the next 11 years. This includes creating a green energy corridor spanning the country, which will significantly strengthen our electricity grid. Additionally, we plan to triple our electricity import and export capacity to 7,500 megawatts by 2035, positioning Türkiye as a regional hub for electricity trade,” Bayraktar added.