2 days ago
Turkey Investigates 66 Power Firms Over Failure to Follow Grid Orders
(Bloomberg) -- Turkey opened an investigation into dozens of power producers which it alleges failed to adjust their output to balance supply and demand, underlining one of the main challenges as intermittent renewables get a larger share of electricity markets.
The country's Energy Market Regulatory Authority wrote to 66 companies in recent weeks to demand explanations about why, according to the watchdog, orders to adjust power output between 2020 and 2024 weren't obeyed, according to people familiar with the matter and a letter seen by Bloomberg.
The Turkish Energy Ministry declined to comment.
Keeping grids perfectly balanced at all times is one of the most challenging aspects of the energy transition because production of solar and wind power can soar or plunge within minutes. Spain's blackout in April highlighted the need for more resilient networks across the continent, according to a report by a group of European grid operators.
The affected companies in Turkey include mainly gas and hydropower generators, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. EPDK's letter said that the investigation could result in penalties, administrative fines and ultimately the cancellation of licenses.
The regulator cited an 'increasing rate of non-compliance with instructions' among power plants. It said that failure to comply increases the cost of balancing for state-owned grid operator Turkiye Elektrik Iletim A.S. The warning echoed a similar reproach by French authorities to producers in France in April.
Turkey's Association of Electricity Producers said in a letter to EPDK this month and seen by Bloomberg that orders to curtail or ramp up production are often unfeasible because they don't take into account technical details like the time it takes to start or stop a facility.
--With assistance from Firat Kozok.
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