Electricity in Turkey – a legal battleground in an ongoing privatisation war

Due to a strong nationalist history, much of Turkey’s economy is dominated by State Economic Enterprises, and this is especially true of the electricity industry. Despite attempts to introduce private sector capital throughout the 80s and 90s, progress has been slow to date because of legal challenges from opponents of change, which have often been successful. The fate of BOT and BO initiatives is reviewed here, but the conclusion is that fundamental legislative changes are required, which are unlikely in the near future given the fragmented state of politics in the country. S. Gürcan Gülen Energy Institute, University of Houston