Turkey plans to build a pipeline to supply natural gas to Northern Cyprus

Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar announced the start of large-scale work to create a gas pipeline connecting Turkey and Northern Cyprus. The statement was made during a visit to Lefkoşa, where the minister emphasized the project's strategic importance for ensuring the island's energy security. The initiative is seen as a logical continuation of the successfully operating "Peace Water" project.

The main goal of the project is to ensure an uninterrupted supply of natural gas to the TRNC, which will allow for the modernization of the local energy infrastructure. Switching to the use of natural gas instead of fuel oil at power plants is expected to significantly reduce electricity production costs and decrease the negative environmental impact. Currently, technical specialists from relevant departments are conducting a preliminary study of the route and an assessment of the necessary supply volumes.

In addition to the gas issue, the Turkish side confirmed its intention to implement a project to interconnect electricity grids via an undersea cable. Minister Bayraktar noted that creating a dual supply system—gas and electricity—will make the island's energy sector more resilient to external factors. In the near future, the parties intend to complete the preparation of a feasibility study, after which the construction timeline and the amount of necessary investment in the project will be determined.