The Turkish government is planning to construct a 50-megawatt solar park in the occupied areas of Cyprus, a project valued at approximately $60 million, according to reports from energy portal energia.gr and Turkish media.
The installation, which is expected to be completed within two years, aims to address the persistent electricity deficit that has plagued the occupied north’s grid for years.
Once operational, the facility will be integrated directly into the local network, marking one of the largest single investments in renewable energy in the region to date.
The move comes as the energy infrastructure in the occupied north remains heavily reliant on fuel oil, a dependency that has left households and businesses vulnerable to volatile global price fluctuations and frequent, widespread power outages.
While the Republic of Cyprus continues to navigate the complexities of the Great Sea Interconnector project to link the island to the European mainland, the occupied areas have seen minimal penetration of renewable energy sources. This lack of diversification, combined with ageing power stations, has resulted in a system prone to mechanical failure and “blackouts” that have hampered local economic activity.
The project is viewed by analysts as a strategic effort by Ankara to bolster the energy security of the occupied territories while reducing the massive financial burden of fuel oil imports