The ministry canceled the 200 MW YEKA solar energy projects in Erzurum and Elazığ.

YEKA GES Competitions in Erzurum and Elazığ Cancelled

UFUK OLGUN

The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources announced the cancellation of two Renewable Energy Resource Areas (YEKA) GES competitions located in Erzurum and Elazığ, published in the Official Gazette on November 14, 2023, with a correction decision, which was announced on September 9, 2025.

Details on the Cancelled Projects

Among the cancelled competitions, the capacity of G25-Elazığ GES was determined to be 50 MW, while the capacity of the G25-Erzurum-2 GES project was announced as 150 MW.

Ministry Statements and Future Innovations

In the statement made by the Ministry, it was stated that the negative issues encountered during the permitting processes were the reason for the cancellation. However, the question of whether a new YEKA announcement will be made for the same areas remained unanswered. Considering Turkey's 2035 targets, which aim to reach 52.9 GW in solar and 29.6 GW in wind installed capacity, it is likely that new announcements will be made with revised site conditions following such cancellations.

Other YEKA Competitions and Innovations

Meanwhile, the Ministry announced a second amendment for the YEKA RES-2025 competitions. In this amendment, changes were reported in the coordinates of the R25-BALIKESİR-1 RES field, which is planned to have an installed capacity of 160 MW.

Strengthening Renewable Energy Infrastructure

Turkey's geographical conditions make it challenging to integrate renewable energy plants into energy transmission lines. Therefore, it is crucial to strengthen transmission and distribution infrastructure to ensure the sustainability of the increase in renewable capacity.

Since 2017, Turkey has been implementing the YEKA model to increase renewable energy investments and enhance domestic production capacity.