Photo: Sururi Ballıdağ / Pexels
Turkey has set out a 2040 energy plan requiring about $500 billion in public and private investment, with a goal of more than doubling electricity capacity while expanding renewables, nuclear power and electric transport.
The plan announced November 5 puts electrification at the center of the country’s push for energy independence. The program needs about $500 billion from the public and private sectors to deliver those goals.
A larger power system, with more renewables
Installed electricity capacity would rise from 123 gigawatts in 2025 to 281 gigawatts by 2040. Renewables would account for 77% of installed capacity, up from 63%.
The program calls for annual renewable-energy tenders of at least 2 gigawatts, offshore wind projects, upgrades to existing plants and more small-scale generation close to the places that use the power.
The grid would need to grow alongside the new plants. High-voltage transmission lines are targeted to expand from roughly 77,000 kilometers to 112,000 kilometers. The plan also identifies a need for 140 gigawatt-hours of storage and aims to lift cross-border electricity interconnection capacity from 5.4 gigawatts to 15 gigawatts.
Nuclear power and electric vehicles
Turkey aims to reach about 10 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2040, combining the 4.8-gigawatt Akkuyu project with at least 5 gigawatts of small modular reactors. Nuclear power is targeted to meet 11% of electricity demand.
The transport goal is a fleet of 20 million electric and hybrid vehicles by 2040. Electricity demand would also come from data centers, heat pumps, green hydrogen production and water treatment as the economy shifts more activities to electricity.
The wider program targets a 36% electrification rate and a 40% reduction in emissions. It also projects about 108,000 direct jobs if the investment program is delivered.
Energy independence remains the aim
The plan pairs those changes with continued investment in oil and natural gas. Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Turkey wants its domestic and overseas production to cover its projected oil and gas needs by 2040, while electric vehicles reduce oil demand.
Delivering the program will depend on financing, skilled workers and sustained policy support. For companies in power generation, transmission, storage and transport, the plan sets out the scale of the projects Turkey wants to build over the next 14 years.
JBizNews Desk | Ankara
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