Electricity and gas bills may increase without official price hikes due to EPDK and BOTAŞ regulations

Economist Mahfi Eğilmez announced that the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) reduced the annual consumption threshold for residential subscribers to 3,000 kilowatt-hours starting January 1, 2027, through a decision made on October 30, 2026. This threshold corresponds to an average monthly consumption of 250 kilowatt-hours. Eğilmez noted that the regulation is expected to affect approximately 6.5 million residential subscribers — 14.7 percent of total subscribers.

Subscribers exceeding the limit will not be immediately switched to the new tariff: the last resource supply tariff for high-consumption customers will be applied beginning the first day of the third month following the month in which the annual limit is exceeded. According to Eğilmez's example, a subscriber who exceeds the limit in October 2026 will be subject to the new tariff starting January 1, 2027, while one who exceeds it in December will be subject to it starting March 1, 2027.

For natural gas, the tiered pricing application by Petroleum Pipelines Corporation (BOTAŞ) is in effect. The consumption limits set by BOTAŞ for November are 136.01 cubic meters for Istanbul, 283.78 cubic meters for Ankara, and 67.97 cubic meters for Izmir; in December, the Istanbul limit rises to 259.35 cubic meters and the Ankara limit to 420 cubic meters. Subscribers exceeding the limits move to a higher tariff in the second tier.

Eğilmez summarized the difference between direct price increases and narrowing of subsidy coverage as follows: "In the first case, the price applied to energy is raised, while in the second case, the price paid by the consumer increases due to the narrowing of subsidy coverage." Emphasizing that high consumption does not always indicate high income, Eğilmez drew attention to the possibility that large families, low-income households living in poorly insulated housing, and residents of cold regions could also fall outside the subsidy scope.