Türkiye’s hydropower generation has reached historic record levels this year, helping prevent approximately $5 billion in energy imports by replacing natural gas in electricity production, according to Elvan Tuğsuz Güven, president of the Hydroelectric Power Plants Industrialists Association (HESİAD).
Güven recalled that last year was marked by drought, while this year, favorable rainfall, snowpack and groundwater resources has resulted in record production levels in hydropower generation.
She noted that Türkiye’s total installed power capacity stands at 125,800 megawatts, of which 32,314 megawatts comes from hydroelectric power plants.
According to Güven, hydroelectric plants accounted for 33.8 percent of the country’s total electricity generation in the first six months of the year, a performance she described as critically important for energy supply security.
She emphasized that hydropower production contributes not only to the electricity system but also significantly to the country’s foreign trade balance.
“During the first six months of the year, when energy and oil-related concerns were high, hydropower created significant value for Türkiye. We estimate that the electricity generated reached a natural gas substitution value of approximately $5 billion,” Güven said.
Güven also stated that Türkiye has made substantial investments in the hydropower sector over the past 20 years, adding that the investment value of the country’s existing hydropower installed capacity is approximately $80 billion.
She said that these investments have enabled Türkiye to rank among the top 10 countries in the world in hydropower and second in Europe.
