Turkey's electrical history from Tarsus to the national grid

Turkey's journey toward electrification began in the Ottoman era with local production and evolved into a national grid that drove the country's economic and technological transformation. The first recorded electricity production in the region occurred on September 15, 1902, in Tarsus at the Bentbaşı location on the Berdan River. This modest setup, connected to a water mill, provided lighting for local streets and a few residences.

In Istanbul, a major step was taken in 1914 with the commissioning of the Silahtarağa Power Plant. Following the establishment of the Ottoman Anonymous Electricity Company in 1911, this coal-fired thermal plant became the first city-scale facility, initially powering trams before expanding to residential areas.

Following the declaration of the Republic in 1923, electrification became a primary development goal. At that time, the country had 38 power plants with a total installed capacity of 32.8 megawatts. By 1926, several cities including Konya, Aksaray, Bursa, and Sivas joined the electrical network, marking a significant era of industrialization and social modernization.