Turkey to Import More Electricity from Iran, Ask Discount for Russian Gas

Turkish energy minister Taner Yildiz saidin Ankara on Monday that Turkey’s gas contract with Russia gives it the right to demand discounts.

According to Tasnim News Agency, Yildiz will meet Deputy Chairman of Gazprom Alexander Medvedev on Monday to discuss the repercussions of the Ukraine crisis on Turkey, mutual investment opportunities, storage of natural gas and the South Stream gas projects in particular.

Yildiz said, “We do not want to announce a certain price yet, we will discuss this issue with Medvedev,” adding, “We wish for natural gas prices to be set according to international price levels applied to some EU countries.”

Yildiz stated that Russia and Turkey have agreed in principle to increase the capacity of the Blue Stream pipeline between Turkey and Russia via the Black Sea from 16 to 19 billion cubic meters with some minor upgrades.

As regards the Iraqi oil, he noted, “We have to transfer Iraqi oil to international markets if the capacity is full in Ceyhan -currently the maximum storage capacity is 2.5 million barrels and 1.5 million barrels of oil has already been transferred by the pipelines”.