Hasan Taçoy: Natural gas from Turkey could enable power plant conversion

Hasan Taçoy, the Minister of Economy and Energy for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, stated that electricity power plants could be converted from fuel-oil to natural gas if a pipeline connection is established with Turkey. This transition is expected to increase electricity production capacity, as natural gas offers technical advantages and higher quality compared to fuel-oil.

Regarding economic strategy, Taçoy emphasized the necessity of growing the total economic size rather than merely redistributing existing resources. He noted that efforts are underway to support various sectors, including agriculture, livestock, health, education, industry, and trade, with a primary goal of facilitating the private sector.

In terms of agricultural regulation, the ministry is preparing new legislation for the fresh fruit and vegetable sector to regulate prices, quality, and standards. Potential sites for new market centers are being evaluated in Güzelyurt, Güvercinlik, Yıldırım, and Nicosia. Additionally, Taçoy reported that solar energy capacity in the region has reached 139 megawatts.