Turkish consumer groups sue over electricity pricing

"Incorrect energy policies and decisions led to the increasing severity of our country's energy and electricity problems and sent the problem into a tailspin. As a consequence, these hikes will affect all aspects of our life and also affect the Turkish economy which will result in an impossible outcome," THD Chairman Turhan Cakar told reporters on Monday. Â

For this reason we, as the THD and ESM, filed a petition against the recent automatic price hike decision and the electricity pricing mechanism that will be implemented by the public economic enterprises, Cakar said outside the court.  Â

The government last week raised electricity prices for consumers by 22 percent and by 21 percent for industry, which will go into effect as of July 1.

The price hikes are part of an overhaul of Turkey's electricity pricing mechanism that is seen as an important step for further privatizations of electricity distribution and production assets.

Photo: Hurriyet Archives