(MENAFN) The World Bank has pledged ongoing support for Türkiye’s clean energy shift, unveiling a $750 million loan to enhance the country’s electricity transmission network, according to Humberto Lopez, the bank’s Country Director.

Speaking to media on the sidelines of Istanbul’s 11th Energy Efficiency Forum and Exhibition, Lopez revealed plans for upcoming talks with Türkiye’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources aimed at exploring new project opportunities.

The announcement follows Monday’s formal loan agreement between the World Bank and the Turkish Electricity Transmission Corporation (TEIAS) to upgrade and reinforce Türkiye’s power grid infrastructure.

When asked about further collaboration, Lopez signaled additional initiatives are in the pipeline: “On energy, I'm pretty sure there will be something coming,” he said. “We'll be meeting with the Ministry of Energy over the coming weeks to decide what are the next operations on which we will be focusing.”

He added, “We are talking about a number of possibilities at this point.”

Lopez underscored that Türkiye’s ambitious renewable energy goals depend heavily on a robust transmission system. “Türkiye has one of the most ambitious plans for renewables, and this transition requires transmission,” he stated.

Explaining the challenge, he said, “It's very difficult for a new company to come and install solar or wind if they don't have the guarantee that there is going to be a transmission line.”

Highlighting the significance of the $750 million funding, Lopez said, “What this $750 million operation is trying to do is advance in this direction and therefore is part of the core of what the government's energy transition plan is.”

The loan forms part of the Transforming Power Transmission System Project—the initial phase of a $1.5 billion financing package designed to expand grid capacity, enhance digital management, and fast-track renewable energy integration. This effort will also cover feasibility studies for Türkiye’s inaugural high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line.

“We are starting now. We expect that this operation will be fully completed in four or five years,” Lopez confirmed.

He added, “In the meantime, we will be preparing with the (Turkish) Ministry of Energy a number of operations that should complement this one.”

Outlining the scale of the government’s ambitions, Lopez noted, “We are talking about a plan that for the public sector is going to be more than $20 billion and clearly this will be in a number of phases.”

Lopez also emphasized the regional impact of strong transmission infrastructure. “If you want to integrate with other countries, having a good transmission line is going to be critical,” he said.

“What we are now discussing is how you can have new lines that cover high voltage. This is the most advanced thing you have to have interconnection with other countries, and this is going to be part of it,” he added.

Türkiye aims to ramp up its solar and wind power capacity to 120 gigawatts by 2035, a target that the government estimates will require $28 billion in transmission investments.

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