Turkey begins offshore work on gas pipeline to the TRNC

Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar said that work has begun at sea on laying a gas pipeline that will bring natural gas to Northern Cyprus. The project aims to finally resolve the TRNC’s electricity supply problem.

Bayraktar noted that foreign companies are also showing interest in the construction. The infrastructure is being designed with capacity to spare: it is planned so that, in the future, gas from Eastern Mediterranean fields could be transported to Turkey through it.

Turkey and the TRNC signed an agreement on the gas pipeline in July 2026. The route, approximately 101 km long, will run from Anamur on Turkey’s southern coast to Teknecik in Northern Cyprus: 97 km underwater and 4 km on land. The project envisages two 22-inch pipelines, with the option of pumping gas in both directions.

The gas will primarily be used to generate electricity. Bayraktar previously said that under this scenario, the TRNC could move from an electricity shortfall to a surplus and become a net exporter, while also reducing its dependence on imported petroleum products.

Until now, Turkey has addressed the capacity shortfall in other ways: seven mobile power plants have been transferred to the island, and Turkish state-owned companies have supplied liquid fuel for the past five years.