Having survived the global financial crisis virtually unscathed, Turkey's export-driven economy is expected to show growth upwards of 5% for 2010, after recording an unprecedented 10% growth over the first quarter of the year. But based largely on growing industrial output, Turkey's continuing economic growth is also mirrored by a growing appetite for power to keep the factories operating and to meet the rising living standards of the country's young, dynamic population of 73 million.
Power consumption had been growing at almost 8% a year before the crisis, leaving the newly liberalised power sector struggling to keep up. A dip in demand in 2008 and 2009 actually helped prevent a generation shortfall, allowing projects under construction to come on stream before growth resumed this year.
