Üstel: We aim to strengthen supply security with an electricity cable and natural gas

Prime Minister Ünal Üstel said they aim to strengthen electricity supply security through projects to bring electricity from Türkiye via an undersea cable and natural gas via a pipeline. Describing continuity of production as one of the fundamental elements of the energy transition, Üstel said the environmental impact of the investments and the costs passed on to consumers should be assessed together.

In a written statement issued during COP31 in Antalya, Üstel called for the Turkish Cypriot people’s access to clean energy to be considered independently of debates over political recognition.

Electricity interconnection and fuel transition

According to Üstel’s statement, the planned undersea electricity cable between Türkiye and the TRNC (KKTC) is intended to connect the electricity grids of the two countries in an interconnected system. Üstel said they aim for the connection, supported by low-carbon electricity supplies, to contribute to supply security and enable more electricity generated from renewable sources—particularly solar power—to be fed into the grid.

Üstel also described obtaining natural gas from Türkiye via a pipeline as part of the energy transition and said they aim to reduce the use of fuel oil in electricity generation. He said the goal of this transition is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from generation and air pollution.

Costs and environmental impact to be assessed together

Stating that energy policies are directly linked not only to the continuation of production but also to the uninterrupted operation of hospitals, drinking water supplies and households’ access to reliable electricity at affordable rates, Üstel stressed that assessments should be based on scientific data.

In this context, he listed the carbon intensity of electricity transported by cable, the emissions reductions that a switch to natural gas could bring, protection of the marine ecosystem and consumer costs as issues that should be considered together. The statement included no figures on the projects’ investment costs, implementation timetable or potential impact on electricity tariffs.

Üstel called on the international community to develop technical and environmental cooperation on access to clean energy, and said they would continue to advance energy projects in cooperation with Türkiye.