Türkiye plans to invest around $100 billion in its electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure under a new energy strategy set to be unveiled on November 5, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Monday.

The National Energy 2040 strategy will be launched in Istanbul as the country prepares for growing electricity demand across industry, transport, buildings and agriculture, Bayraktar said at an event in Ankara, The Caspian Post reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

The event was organized by the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) and the Electricity Distribution Services Association (Elder).

“The spread of electric vehicles, the electrification of production processes, artificial intelligence applications and the growth of data centers will both increase electricity demand and change its nature,” he said.

Bayraktar said work on the new energy framework, which extends to 2040 and takes into account global energy developments and Türkiye’s future needs, was nearing completion.

“Under National Energy 2040, we envisage about $100 billion in investment in our electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure,” he said.

Bayraktar said the world was facing the biggest energy crisis of modern times, adding that ensuring an uninterrupted, reliable and affordable energy supply was not only an economic issue but also a matter of security.

He said Türkiye was bringing its domestic oil and natural gas resources into the economy, expanding renewable energy capacity, incorporating nuclear power into its energy system and improving energy efficiency.

These efforts aim to meet the country’s energy needs securely and affordably, permanently improve citizens’ welfare by reducing dependence on foreign supplies, and implement policies aligned with Türkiye’s climate goals, he said.

“However, we now know that energy independence cannot be achieved solely by possessing resources or increasing production capacity,” Bayraktar said.

“We also need to be able to use the energy we produce at the right time, in the right place and as efficiently as possible,” he added. “For this, we need strong electricity infrastructure, smart grids, technologies and a skilled workforce.”

Bayraktar said electricity grids and infrastructure must keep pace with the growing number of solar and wind power plants, the wider adoption of electric vehicles and rising electricity demand from industry.

He stressed the need to develop transmission and distribution infrastructure, energy storage capacity, digital technologies and system management capabilities in parallel.

New industrial zones, expanding cities, electric vehicles, rooftop solar systems and the growth of the digital economy will place additional demands on distribution networks, he said.

“We cannot meet these needs simply by adding lines and transformers to the existing infrastructure,” Bayraktar said.

“We need to move to a system that can monitor our grids in real time, accurately forecast demand, respond to faults more quickly and use existing capacity more efficiently,” he added.

Bayraktar said Türkiye aimed to develop domestic software and promote its widespread use across various areas of electricity distribution infrastructure under the National Energy 2040 strategy. He also stressed the need to protect the infrastructure against cyberattacks.

“We believe the funding EPDK provides to distribution companies for research and development makes a very significant contribution to developing domestic solutions and implementing them in the field,” he said.