11.07.2026 00:00
A Memorandum of Understanding on the Supply of Natural Gas to the TRNC was signed between the governments of Türkiye and the TRNC. Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar said, "Within the scope of this project, we will build a natural gas transmission line approximately 101 kilometers long, with 97 kilometers at sea and 4 kilometers on land. We believe that with the natural gas we will bring, the TRNC will experience an abundance of electricity and become a net exporter country."
Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will be connected via a natural gas pipeline under the Mediterranean.
SIGNATURES SIGNED A Memorandum of Understanding on the Supply of Natural Gas to the TRNC was signed between the governments of Türkiye and the TRNC. The signing ceremony, hosted by TRNC Assembly Speaker Ziya Öztürkler at the TRNC Republican Assembly, was attended by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, ministers from both countries, and representatives from the public and private sectors. The first signatures on the memorandum were made by Vice President Yılmaz and TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel.
“WE ARE TAKING THE FIRST CONCRETE STEP OF A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT THAT WILL FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR UNBREAKABLE BONDS” Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar stated that a new phase has been reached in energy cooperation between Türkiye and the TRNC. Emphasizing the shared history and strategic cooperation between Türkiye and the TRNC, Bayraktar said, "Today, we are taking the first concrete step of a very important project that will further strengthen our unbreakable bonds between Türkiye and Northern Cyprus. We are together to sign a memorandum of understanding between the Government of the Republic of Türkiye and the Government of the TRNC regarding the supply of natural gas to the TRNC."
Bayraktar stated that Türkiye has taken many steps so far to ensure the energy supply security of the Turkish Cypriot people, saying, "From past to present, we have taken many important steps to ensure the energy supply security of the Turkish Cypriot people and to develop their economy. To date, we have successfully deployed a total of 7 mobile power plants to the island. We continue to support maintenance activities for their smooth and uninterrupted operation. In addition, for the last 5 years, we have been supplying the liquid fuel needed by Cyprus for its energy supply security through our public companies. From now on, we will continue resolutely to provide all kinds of support and partnership to strengthen Cyprus's energy supply security."
"APPROXIMATELY 101 KILOMETERS OF NATURAL GAS PIPELINE WILL BE BUILT" Stating that energy supply security is of vital importance today for economic development, national security, and social welfare, Bayraktar said that new investments will be implemented to meet the increasing energy needs of the TRNC. Pointing out that the natural gas pipeline project will also be the beginning of a new era in the energy supply security of the TRNC, Bayraktar said, "As of today, we are starting the studies for the construction of a natural gas pipeline system that will pass under the sea between Türkiye and the TRNC after these signatures. Within the scope of this project, we will build a natural gas transmission line approximately 101 kilometers long, with 97 kilometers at sea and 4 kilometers on land. For this natural gas line, which will start from Anamur and come to Teknecik, the construction of two 22-inch pipelines is planned."
Stating that the line is designed to be bidirectional, Bayraktar said, "We will design this line to be bidirectional, capable of carrying gas from north to south and from south to north. We will create infrastructure that can transport gas from Türkiye to the island, and from the island, any future gas source, to our country and from there to Europe."
Stating that natural gas will primarily be used in electricity generation, Bayraktar said, "This project, which will be an important part of Northern Cyprus's energy transformation and energy supply security, will establish uninterrupted electricity supply and further strengthen the strategic cooperation between our countries."
"TRNC WILL ATTAIN ELECTRICITY ABUNDANCE" Stating that Türkiye's energy vision is not limited to natural gas infrastructure, Bayraktar said they aim for transformation in many sectors through electrification projects. Pointing out that the aim is to increase the use of electricity in the economy, Bayraktar said, "Through electrification projects we are implementing across our country, we are expanding the use of electricity in many sectors, especially transportation, increasing energy efficiency, and reducing our foreign dependency. We sincerely believe that this transformation holds very important opportunities for the TRNC as well. It is obvious that the demand for electricity will increase, especially with the transformation of vehicles to electric. The step we take today will contribute to meeting the growing electricity needs in the future safely and sustainably, and will also make significant contributions to the TRNC economy by reducing imports of oil and petroleum products."
35% ELECTRIFICATION RATE TARGET IN THE ECONOMY Referring to Türkiye's 2035 targets, Bayraktar stated that they aim to increase the electrification rate in the economy to 35%, and noted that the TRNC is also carrying out studies in line with a similar vision. Bayraktar said, "With the natural gas we will bring, we now believe that the TRNC will attain an electricity abundance and could become a net exporter country. Therefore, I wanted to present this project to you as a historic project, partly in this respect."
Stating that the natural gas pipeline project is a "project of the century" for the TRNC, Bayraktar said, "I wish that the natural gas pipeline, which can truly be a project of the century for our Northern Cyprus, will be auspicious and beneficial from now on. I express my gratitude to our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who guided the project with his vision. On this occasion, I congratulate you on the approaching July 20 Peace and Freedom Day, and I pray for mercy from Allah for our Mehmetçiks and mujahideens who fell as martyrs in the Cyprus Peace Operation, and a blessed life for our veterans."