Türkiye plans TANAP-style electricity corridor with Azerbaijan

Türkiye and Azerbaijan are seeking to deepen their long-standing energy partnership by expanding cooperation beyond oil and natural gas into electricity transmission and green energy projects, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on June 1.

Speaking at the opening of Baku Energy Week in Baku, Bayraktar said Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Bulgaria and countries in southeastern Europe were working together to strengthen regional energy connectivity and support the transition to cleaner energy sources, Caliber.Az reports, citing British media.

"We are going to create the electricity version of TANAP," Bayraktar said, referring to the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline, which transports Azerbaijani natural gas to European markets via Türkiye.

The proposed initiative would mirror the strategic role TANAP has played in regional gas supplies, but focus instead on electricity transmission, helping integrate power networks across the region and facilitate cross-border energy trade.

Bayraktar also said Türkiye is planning to invest around $30 billion over the next decade to modernise its electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure. The upgrades are intended to accommodate rising renewable energy generation as well as future nuclear power output.

As part of the strategy, Ankara plans to strengthen electricity interconnections with its eastern neighbours, including Azerbaijan and Georgia, while also enhancing links with Bulgaria.

The expanded network is expected to allow the exchange of surplus electricity between regional markets and support the development of new green energy corridors connecting the South Caucasus with Europe.

By Aghakazim Guliyev