Turkey sees record-breaking electricity, water consumption amid heatwave

Photos: AA

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As temperatures soar in Turkey, the use of air conditioners, fans, and agricultural irrigation has reached unprecedented levels, resulting in record-breaking electricity consumption.

On Saturday, the country witnessed a new daily high with electricity consumption reaching 1,077,063 megawatt-hours.

According to a report from the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), the lowest hourly electricity consumption was recorded at 34,625 megawatt-hours at 07.00 a.m., while the peak consumption occurred at 51,588 megawatt-hours at 4 p.m.

Simultaneously, the scorching heat has led to a surge in water consumption, setting a new record across Turkey. İstanbul,the largest city of the country, alone reported a daily water consumption of over 3.5 million cubic meters.

İstanbul dams

The İstanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (İSKİ) revealed that as of July 15, the reservoirs supplying water to the city were at 41.39 percent of their total capacity.

Various dams in different regions of İstanbul reflected varying water levels. The Ömerli Dam, the largest one, stood at 73.98 percent Istrancalar Dam at 34.86 percent, Terkos Dam at 30.64 percent, Sazlıdere Dam at 25.15 percent, Alibey Dam at 22.55 percent, Büyükçekmece Dam at 23.2 percent, Darlık Dam at 57.6 percent, Elmalı Dam at 32.64 percent, Pabuçdere Dam at 4.64 percent, and Kazandere Dam at 6.74 percent.

Currently, the total water volume in the dams and reservoirs supplying the city, with a maximum storage capacity of 868,683,000 cubic meters, stands at 359,052,000 cubic meters.

The heatwave

While Turkey grapples with extreme heat and escalating electricity and water consumption, a heatwave is also gripping southern and eastern Europe.

Italy is predicted to experience temperatures as high as 48°C in certain regions. Croatia, France, Greece, and Turkey are also anticipated to face temperatures around 40°C. This phenomenon is partially attributed to the Cerberus weather system's movement across the continent from the Sahara Desert. (TY/VK)