Turkey boosts measures against gas supply shortage: minister

ISTANBUL — Turkey has been taking measures against the global gas supply shortage and hikes in energy prices, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez announced on Friday.

Speaking at an event in Turkey’s southwestern Denizli province, Donmez said, “We took our steps fast so that the gas supply shortage in the world would not affect us.”

Last week, Turkey signed an additional trade agreement with Azerbaijan for 11 billion cubic meters of natural gas.

“We are still negotiating to supply gas from different sources,” the minister stressed, noting that currently three quarters of Turkey’s underground natural gas storages are full.

“Hopefully, we will reach full capacity in the coming months,” he said.

Donmez said the world has been going through an energy bottleneck.

According to the minister, Turkey’s installed capacity based on renewable energy sources is now at the level of 53 percent.

“Together with other domestic resources, our installed capacity based on domestic and renewable energy is 65 percent,” he added.