The Turkish government has major plans to develop its hydroelectric power resources and to realise the country's full hydro potential of 433TWh/year over the next 20-25 years. In 2003, there were 125 hydroelectric sites in operation, generating about 42.2 billion kWh/year. The plans call for a further 102 sites to be developed and include the GAP (South Eastern Anatolian) project, one of the largest water resources devel-opment projects in the world with 19 hydroelectric dams and three non-hydro. Demand for electricity is growing rapidly in Turkey. In recent years, the average increase in electricity consumption has been 8 to 10 per cent per year and is projected to maintain a similar rate in coming years. To meet such a demand, the country needs to allocate a total of US$3-4 billion each year for new energy projects and BOT (Build, Operate and Transfer) projects with foreign partners are being encouraged.
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