ANTALYA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in electricity projects between Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, following his meeting with Saudi Minister of Energy and Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman in Antalya on Tuesday.Prince Abdulaziz arrived in Turkiye to attend the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), which began in Antalya on Monday, and will conclude on Nov. 20. Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar stated that the new agreement marks a step forward in advancing the second phase of renewable energy projects being implemented by Saudi company ACWA Power in Turkiye, within the framework of government cooperation between the two countries.In a post on his social media account, the minister explained that the government agreement, signed by the two countries in Riyadh on February 3 and entering into force on October 21, establishes a framework for developing renewable energy projects with a total capacity of 5,000 megawatts in Turkiye, to be implemented by ACWA Power in two phases.Bayraktar noted that work is progressing on the first phase, which involves solar energy projects with a combined capacity of 2,000 megawatts in the provinces of Sivas and Karaman, expressing his satisfaction with the progress achieved in implementing these projects.The minister said that the signing of the new memorandum of understanding in Antalya will strengthen efforts to bring the targeted additional capacity of 3,000 megawatts under the second phase into operation. According to the minister, this phase includes the development of wind power plants, supported by high-voltage direct current (HVDC) electricity transmission infrastructure, as well as battery energy storage systems.Bayraktar emphasized that these investments will not only expand Turkey's renewable energy capacity but also deepen strategic energy cooperation with Saudi Arabia through projects aimed at enhancing electricity grid infrastructure and increasing its flexibility and capacity to accommodate renewable energy sources.He stated that Turkey will continue to translate confidence in its energy transformation and investment environment into tangible projects, underscoring the importance of Saudi investments in supporting the country's plans to expand its clean energy capacity.
