Turkish consumers will be able to choose to purchase electricity from different suppliers, Mustafa Yilmaz, head of Turkish Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) said Saturday.
'After the regulations we made with the Balancing Market Management System, electricity consumers in Turkey will be able to change their vendors, just like they choose cell phone service operators,' Yilmaz said in a statement.
'That way, consumers will be able to buy electricity from suppliers that provide more economic rates,' he added, but also warned that consumers should be aware of the new process.
'Before changing their vendors, our citizens should be careful about the conditions of their currently existing electricity contracts,' Yilmaz said, pointing out to increasing complaints about penalties that consumers are subjected to because of changing their suppliers without reading their existing bilateral electricity contracts.
'That is why the consumers should be very careful about terminating and compensation conditions of their existing electricity contracts so that they would not be subject to additional fees,' he explained.
'Since bilateral agreements are done in the sphere of private law, consumers could be forced to pay damages to their previous supplier after signing with a new vendor. That's why consumers have to fulfill their obligations in their existing contracts first, before choosing another supplier,' he added.
Yilmaz also noted that the new agreements will have a maximum life span of five years.
Reporting by Muhsin Baris Tiryakioglu
Writing by Ovunc Kutlu
Anadolu Agency
ovunc.kutlu@aa.com.tr