Türkiye's hydropower generation has reached record highs this year, helping the country avoid nearly $5 billion in energy imports by displacing natural gas in electricity generation, according to a top industry representative.
The strong hydropower output was helped by favorable rainfall, snowpack and groundwater conditions following a drought last year, said Elvan Tuğsuz Güven, chair of the Hydroelectric Power Plants Industrialists Association (HESIAD).
Hydroelectric power plants account for 32,314 megawatts of Türkiye's 125,800-megawatt total installed power capacity and generated 33.8% of the country's electricity in the first half of the year.
Güven said hydropower generation has made a significant contribution not only to Türkiye's electricity system but also to its external trade balance.
"During the first six months, when energy and oil crises dominated the agenda, hydropower created tremendous value for Türkiye. We estimate that the electricity generated displaced roughly $5 billion worth of natural gas imports," she told Anadolu Agency (AA).
