Turkey
has
privatized 75% of its electricity distribution capabilities after auctioning
four power grids Monday, Ihlas News Agency, or IHA, quotes Energy Minister
Taner Yildiz as saying Tuesday.
Turkish privatization agency OIB held a final tender Monday for the
privatization of four state-owned power distribution grids.
A joint venture between
Turkey
's
Is-Kaya Insaat Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd. Sti. and MMEKA Makine Ithalat Pazarlama
ve
Ticaret
AS
Monday submitted the highest bid of $2.99 billion for
Turkey
's
largest electricity distribution grid, Bogazici Elektrik Dagitim AS. It also
submitted the highest bid of $1.92 billion in another tender for 100% of
electricity distribution grid Gediz Elektrik Dagitim AS, which operates in
western
Turkey
.
Energy firm Aksa Elektrik Perakende Satis AS's $622 million bid Monday for 100%
of Trakya electricity distribution grid, which also operates in western
Turkey
, was
the highest in that tender.
A joint venture between
Turkey
's
Karavil Dayanikli Tuketim Mallari Insaat Otom. Pet. Urun Paz. Sanayi ve Ticaret
Ltd. Sti. and Ceylan Insaat ve
Ticaret
AS
won
the tender for 100% of Dicle electricity distribution grid, located in the
southeast of the country, with a $228 million bid.
Yildiz told reporters that the privatization of the remaining three power distribution
grids by the end of this year is in question.
Yildiz also said
Turkey
has
paid
Iran
about
$600 million for natural gas it failed to use in a take-or-pay gas deal, which
obliges a utility to take agreed gas deliveries or pay a certain price if it
fails to do so.
Turkey
will
use this amount of gas from
Iran
when
its gas consumption increases, Yildiz added.
Iran is
Turkey's No. 2 gas supplier after Russia.