Tuğcu Warns Of “Dark And Hot Days Ahead” Amid Power Plant Dispute

Union officials said they have lodged complaints against the Chairman and General Manager of the Cyprus Turkish Electricity Authority, as well as the director of the company that carried out the maintenance work, accusing them of “abuse of office” and “deliberate damage to machinery.”

Speaking after the filing, El-Sen Chair Ahmet Tuğcu described the failures at Teknecik Power Plant as “sabotage,” calling the issue a matter of national importance.

Tuğcu argued that the problems at the plant were the result of a long-running process, claiming that electricity production had been reduced since 2022, which he said benefited certain companies while increasing costs for consumers.

He further alleged that until 2022, maintenance, fuel supply, and spare parts procurement were handled through the Central Tender Commission, but that this process changed under a financial protocol, transferring responsibility to a different company.

Pointing to the installation of gas turbines as a turning point, Tuğcu said breakdowns had occurred in units 3, 4, and 6 after maintenance work carried out by a company based in Turkey and its subcontractor.

He claimed that unit 4 exploded and that a similar incident occurred in unit 6 nine days later, while unit 3 was deliberately shut down by maintenance officials.

Tuğcu argued that it was abnormal for newly serviced machines to break down shortly after maintenance and reiterated his claim that this amounted to sabotage.

He also alleged that, for the first time in KIB-TEK’s history, the machines were left outside insurance coverage for breakdowns, warning that each unit could face damage risks of between $8 million and $10 million.

Following these developments, Tuğcu said complaints had been filed against KIB-TEK Chairman Gürsel Uzun, General Manager Dalman Aydın, and Marin İstanbul General Manager Cenk Boyar for “abuse of office” and “intentional damage to machinery,” adding that police would launch an investigation.

“Dark And Hot Days Ahead”

Tuğcu said the situation at Teknecik must be shared transparently with the public, warning that unless electricity is imported from the south at high cost, the country could face severe energy shortages in summer.

“Under the current conditions at Teknecik, if Northern Cyprus does not purchase expensive electricity from the south, this country will face very dark and hot days in the summer months,” he said.

He also noted that the union had applied in writing to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security for inspections on occupational safety and working conditions but had not yet received a response, warning that the ongoing failures also pose risks to human life.