‘Studies needed before Turkey electricity link’
FEASIBILITY studies are vital before there can be any progress on proposals to bring in cheaper electricity via a link between the TRNC and Turkish national grids, Prime Minister Tufan Erhürman has stressed — while his energy chief said new avenues needed to be explored to fend off potential supply problems next year.
Dr Erhürman was speaking amid an ongoing debate on how best to wean the TRNC’s energy sector off hard currencybased fuel oil supplies which have seen power prices rise by about 50 per cent this year, and another hike now on the cards as the Turkish lira devalues further.
Questioned on BRT television, the Premier said any move towards interconnection between the TRNC electricity authority Kıb-Tek and its Turkish counterpart would require assurance that the European Network of Transmission System Operators, representing 43 electricity suppliers in 36 countries across Europe, “would not create any problems”.
He added: “An investment of this magnitude cannot be done without a feasibility study and we are not yet at this stage.”
The signing of an Energy Cooperation agreement between officials from Lefkoşa and Ankara, envisaging an undersea cable to bring power to the TRNC from cheaper generating facilities in Turkey, sparked controversy in 2016, with the electricity workers’ union, El-Sen, claiming it was a precursor to forcing Kıb-Tek out of business.
The debate was revived last week when Economy and Energy Minister Özdil Nami told a meeting of the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Industry he had spoken with Turkish officials about both a link-up and the prospects for renewable energy, and the “ball” was now in Ankara’s court.
He said the cost of producing 1KW of electricity in Turkey was 30 kuruş, but that this figure was 1TL in the TRNC, and a cheaper supply had to be achieved.
He said in an interview last Friday the government was working on an investment plan “for the future of the country’s energy sector”, and that included looking into the undersea connection.
“What we need to target is a halving of power prices,” he said.
He added that he had asked Kıb-Tek to channel a major part of its energy portfolio into renewables, and into researching running its Teknecik power plant, currently using fuel oil, on alternatives including natural gas.
While he assured people there was “no problem with the power supply [and] no need for panic”, he added: “We will not be out of power and don’t have any problems as far as this year is concerned.
“This is for next year. An investment is being considered in case of any potential undesirable situation, should one of the generating units fail.”
Responding to a protest last Thursday by El-Sen, whose leaders laid a black wreath outside his ministry over rising power bills and demanding investment in the sector, Mr Nami said he believed he and his team “face unfair criticism”.
“As there is a consensus between the sides on transferring electricity from Turkey, when this takes shape other investments will become clear.”
In a statement issued last Friday, the Chamber said bringing power from Turkey — a “sustainable, quality secure supply” — and developing renewable sources should be the focus of the country’s energy policy.
“Any other approach . . . would not reduce power prices, but on the contrary would increase the country’s dependence on foreign currency and oil prices,” it said.