Small hydropower potential and utilization in Turkey

Abstract

Although the amount of energy produced by this means has steadily increased, the amount produced by other types of power plants has increased at a faster rate and hydroelectric power presently supplies about 14% of the electrical generating capacity of Turkey. Turkey has a total gross hydropower potential of 433 GWh/year, but only 125 GWh/year of the total hydroelectric potential of Turkey can be economically used. Hydropower plants with an installed capacity of below 10 MW are widely considered small hydropower (SHP) in Turkey. Installed capacity at the end of 2015 was approximately 3686 MW with a total economically feasible potential capacity estimated at 6,500 MW indicating approximately 17.8% has been developed. This paper discusses the small hydropower situation in Turkey.