Turkey’s Competition Board opens probe into Sabancı’s energy companies

ANKARA

The Competition Board has announced that it has launched a probe into seven electricity companies owned by Sabancı Holding to investigate whether they abused their dominant market position. 

The board opened the probe into the Enerjisa Energy Company, the Toroslar Power Distribution Company, the Enerjisa Toroslar Retail Electricity Sales Company, the Başkent Power Distribution Company, the Enerjisa Başkent Retail Electricity Sales Company, the Istanbul Anatolian Side Power Distribution Company and the Eenerjisa Anatolian Side Retail Electricity Sales Company, according to a statement released late on Jan. 27.

According to the board, the investigation decision was taken after a preliminary probe into similar concerns in late 2016 found evidence serious enough for a further investigation. 

Enerjisa won the tender for Turkey’s first electricity distribution privatization in the sector in 2009, with the takeover of Başkent Electricity Distribution Co. Inc. (Başkent EDAŞ). With the acquisition of the Istanbul Anatolian Side Electricity Distribution Company (AYEDAŞ) and the Toroslar Electricity Distribution Company in 2013, Enerjisa reached 20 million people in the Turkish electricity distribution sector, according to data from the company website. 

Enerjisa provides electricity distribution services in 14 provinces across Turkey and, according to its website, “pursues a pioneering role in electricity distribution with technology and efficiency focused investments and distribution operations targeting improved service quality.”