Power distribution firms boost their investments

ISTANBUL

Electricity distribution companies collectively invested 27.3 billion Turkish Liras ($1 billion) in 2022, up 27.4 percent from the previous year, according to a report by the Association of Electricity Distribution System Operators (ELDER).

Distribution company Toroslar EDAŞ increased its investment by 17 percent to 2.6 billion liras, taking the lead among all distributors. Boğaziçi EDAŞboosts its investments by 58 percent to 2.31 billion liras, while investments by GDZ EDAŞ amounted to 2.3 billion liras, up nearly 52 percent from 2021.

The companies served 48.6 million consumers last year, up from 47.3 million in 2021, the report said.

Electricity consumption grew from 253 TWh (terawatt hours) in 2021 to 253.6 TWh in 2022.

Industry consumed 108 TWh, declining from 111.7 TWh in 2021, while residents’ consumption increased slightly from 60.6 TWh to 61.9 TWh in 2022.

Some 13.3TWh of electricity was used in agricultural activities last year, down from 13.5 TWh in 2020, and 5.5 TWh of electricity was consumed for lighting.

The length of distribution lines reached 1.4 million kilometers, while the number of transformers rose from 508,880 to 522,311.

Electricity distribution companies directly employed more than 76,000 people, while the number of personnel at sub-contractors was over 39,000.