Record gas demand causes Turkish power outages

摘要

Turkey's Chamber of Electrical Engineers (EMO) has blamed the widespread gas shortages and power cuts experienced in December on the free-market policies of the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP). These, the EMO said, have led to increased dependence on imported primary energy resources. When the AKP came to power in 2002 62.2% of Turkey's generating capacity was in state hands, compared with 34.1% as of this December, a change the EMO blames on a clause in the electricity market law that bans new state investment in power plants. In addition, EMO said that, in 2002, Turkey generated around 50% of its power from domestic resources, a figure which by 2008 had fallen to around 40%. EMO said despite government promises the share of domestic and renewable energy resources in the national portfolio had by last year risen to only 43.4%, a figure which EMO suggests is set to fall again, owing to heavy investment in new plants burning imported gas and coal.