Ankara: The Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, has announced a series of electricity interconnection projects in collaboration with Azerbaijan aimed at supplying electricity to various European nations. These initiatives include the construction of a power transmission line through Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Region, establishing a green energy corridor with Georgia and Bulgaria, and a power transmission line to Europe via the Black Sea.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Minister Bayraktar highlighted the ongoing global crises and emphasized the need for more predictable and diversified cooperation in the energy sector between Turkey and Azerbaijan. The projects include significant developments such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline, the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).

Bayraktar stated that the TANAP pipeline is expected to reach a natural gas flow of approximately 100 billion cubic meters by 2026, significantly contributing to European energy security. The TANAP pipeline, inaugurated in 2018, is a strategic gas pipeline that transports Azerbaijani natural gas from the Caspian Sea to Europe via Turkey.

The Minister also explained the strategic importance of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which spans 870 kilometers and connects with TANAP near the Turkish-Greek border, facilitating the transport of Azerbaijani gas to Europe. He noted that Turkey and Azerbaijan possess complementary characteristics, with Azerbaijan being a major producer of oil and natural gas and emerging as an electricity producer, while Turkey is a growing market with increasing energy demands.

Bayraktar emphasized Turkey’s potential as a significant energy exporter to Europe due to its numerous interconnection lines. He pointed out the shared vision of the Turkish and Azerbaijani presidents, which has driven the development of these projects.

Further, he stressed the importance of fully utilizing existing projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipelines, as well as the TANAP pipeline. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline currently transports 600,000 barrels of oil per day, but it has a capacity of one million barrels per day and could be used to transport crude oil from other Central Asian sources.

Bayraktar elaborated on three major projects: the electricity transmission line to Turkey via Nakhchivan, the four-way green energy corridor with Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Bulgaria, and the electricity transmission line reaching Europe via the Black Sea.

He also mentioned the integrated system formed by Turkic-speaking countries, noting Turkmenistan’s natural gas resources and Kazakhstan’s oil production capabilities. Kazakhstan is also a major uranium supplier, contributing to the mineral resources of the region.

Bayraktar concluded by emphasizing Turkey’s increasing demand for electricity and energy, alongside its strong industrial needs for mineral raw materials, highlighting Turkey’s strategic position for accessing various markets.