Üstel and Yılmaz Announce Electricity and Natural Gas Project for TRNC

Speaking after bilateral meetings, Yılmaz said energy cooperation had been discussed in detail together with Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister, focusing on supply security, production capacity, and strengthening the TRNC’s energy infrastructure.

He stated that energy issues were being handled at the highest level and noted that the number of power generators in the TRNC had reached seven, with 25 MW generators helping to meet increasing electricity demand. Yılmaz added that maintenance costs for the plants were being covered by Turkey.

He also said maintenance for four additional TRNC-owned generators would be funded under the 2026 agreement and noted that fuel costs were also being covered within the framework of the deal.

Yılmaz stressed that Ankara aimed to prevent electricity cuts during the summer months and was determined to implement projects that would secure the TRNC’s energy supply.

Referring to the long-discussed electricity interconnection project via undersea cable, Yılmaz said work was also underway on options for establishing a natural gas supply line alongside the electricity connection.

He announced that preparatory work on the natural gas project had been completed and that the process was expected to move into the investment phase shortly. Yılmaz said he and Turkey’s energy minister planned to visit the TRNC in June to sign agreements related to the project.

According to Yılmaz, the project could move forward quickly through an intergovernmental agreement.

He added that Turkey’s goal was to help build a self-sufficient and resilient economy in the TRNC, with ambitions for the country to become a “shining star” of the Eastern Mediterranean through tourism and the information technology sector.

Yılmaz reiterated Turkey’s support for the Turkish Cypriot side, saying Ankara believed a Cyprus settlement would only be possible through recognition of “two equal sovereign peoples and two states” on the island.

Prime Minister Üstel, in his remarks, described the planned projects as historically significant and compared them to the “Water of the Century Project” launched 14 years ago to transport water from Turkey to the TRNC.

“Now we are adding another project of the century alongside it,” Üstel said. “After water, electricity and natural gas will now come from Turkey to the TRNC.”

He said the projects would not only transform the TRNC’s future but also carry strategic importance for the Eastern Mediterranean.

Üstel noted that natural gas imported from Turkey would initially be used for electricity generation, allowing the TRNC to move toward a more environmentally friendly, secure, cost-effective, and sustainable energy infrastructure.

He also called on the Greek Cypriot administration, the European Union, and international actors supporting a Cyprus settlement to back the projects instead of creating political obstacles.

“Support these projects rather than obstruct them,” Üstel said, urging support for the planned interconnected electricity system for the island.