Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Bulgaria advance green electricity project
Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Bulgaria could sign an intergovernmental agreement in November to advance a regional project aimed at transmitting and trading green electricity across borders, Türkiye's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Friday.
Speaking at the Azerbaijan-Türkiye Energy Forum in Baku, Bayraktar said the agreement could be signed during the COP31 climate conference, which will take place in Antalya in November.
Project dubbed the electricity tanap
Bayraktar described the Green Electricity Transmission and Trade Project as a strategic step toward long-term regional energy cooperation, comparing it to the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline, known as TANAP.
"We want to move this important project to the next stage as soon as possible," Bayraktar said, adding that the project could be formalized at COP31 through an agreement signed by the countries' leaders or energy ministers.
The initiative is intended to strengthen cross-border electricity trade, improve energy security and support the integration of renewable energy into regional power systems.
Türkiye seeks stronger regional energy role
Bayraktar said Türkiye's infrastructure and strategic location have strengthened its position as a regional energy hub.
He said expanding electricity interconnections would help improve supply security, make better use of available resources and create additional opportunities for renewable energy and electricity trading.
The cooperation is expected to benefit Türkiye and Azerbaijan as well as the wider region, including Europe.
Nakhchivan connection moves forward
Bayraktar also said initial studies had been completed for a planned electricity connection between Türkiye and Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan region.
Technical assessments have identified the most feasible option, while system operators are carrying out additional studies before the project moves toward implementation.
No construction timetable was announced.
The Nakhchivan connection is expected to improve electricity supply reliability and deepen energy cooperation between Türkiye and Azerbaijan.
Cooperation expands beyond oil and gas
Energy ties between Türkiye and Azerbaijan have increasingly expanded beyond traditional oil and natural gas projects.
Bayraktar said cooperation now includes mining, renewable energy, energy efficiency, electricity markets, and power transmission and distribution.
The planned regional power link would further broaden that partnership while positioning Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Bulgaria to play a larger role in Europe's emerging green energy network.
Source:DailySabah
