23-year AKP tradition: The profit-guaranteed dark order

Mehmet ÖZDAĞ 

Electronics Engineer - CHP Samsun Provincial Chair @mozdag55

NOT A BILL, BUT A DISTRIBUTION FEE ROBBERY!

While the energy cost for low-tier residential consumers has remained stable, the distribution fee has increased by 880 percent over the last 5 years. Today, 75 percent of the bill in the low-tier bracket goes directly to distribution companies.

The recent 25 percent hike in electricity for residential properties is a harbinger of a new wave of price increases that will affect not only household budgets but also the prices of all goods and services in the coming period. However, when looking at the source of this increase, it is clear that it is not production costs, as is widely believed by the public, but rather the increase in distribution fees that is the determining factor.

According to the latest tariff regulation published in the Official Gazette, the energy cost for low-tier residential subscribers—that is, households that do not exceed 8 kWh of daily consumption—has not been increased; however, the distribution fee has been raised by 32 percent. When evaluated together with taxes and funds, the impact of this increase on the total bill reaches 25 percent.

Table: Change in distribution fee for 100 kWh consumption

As of April 2026, a low-tier residential subscriber pays a total of 323.8 TL for 100 kWh of consumption. Only 49.4 TL of this amount is the energy cost. In other words, while only 15 percent of the bill reflects actual consumption, 75 percent goes to distribution companies, and the remaining 10 percent goes to the public sector through taxes and funds.

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HOW CAN A SERVICE FEE BE 5 TIMES HIGHER?

The picture that emerges today is extremely striking: While approximately 49 kuruş is paid as an energy cost for 1 kWh of electricity, approximately 5 times that amount, or 2.4 TL, is collected for the distribution of the same electricity.

This is a situation that cannot be explained by market logic or the principle of public interest. There is a clear preference at play:

Protecting distribution companies instead of the citizens.

The official statement by the EMRA (EPDK) dated April 3, 2026, covers up this reality. The institution justified the hike by saying, "production and distribution costs have increased." However, the energy cost in the low-tier bracket did not change; the entire hike was applied to the distribution fee. If production costs have not increased, the EMRA should explain the item that affected the distribution fee by 32 percent.

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THIS DARK ORDER WILL NOT FIX ITSELF!

When looking at the 23-year rule of the AKP, the most striking truth is this: This order will not fix itself. The burden of bills can only be pushed back through organized public pressure—we have experienced this firsthand.

In January 2022, the AKP government gave the impression that it was making a discount by removing the TRT share, which corresponded to only 1 TL on a 100 TL bill. However, at the same time, both a tiered tariff system was introduced and exorbitant hikes ranging from 50 percent to 127 percent were implemented on electricity. Residential low-tier rates were hiked by 49.6 percent, residential high-tier rates by 125 percent, and workplaces by 127 percent.

The public did not remain silent in the face of this injustice. From north to south, east to west, tradespeople took to the streets, civil society held meetings in front of the Ministry of Energy, and the CHP took the matter to the judiciary. What was the result? The government was forced to back down three times in the first three months of 2022: The tier limit, which was 5 kWh in January, was increased to 7 kWh in February and 8 kWh in March. 81 percent of residential subscribers were moved to the low-tier tariff during this process; commercial subscribers were included in the coverage; and the VAT was reduced from 18 percent to 8 percent.

In short; the will of the nation, by taking to the streets, forced a retreat from the unfair price hikes and tier application.

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LOWER THE DISTRIBUTION FEES!

In a basic service like energy, the state's primary duty is not to reflect cost increases directly onto the citizen, but to balance this burden with public resources.

The fastest step that needs to be taken is clear: Distribution fees must be lowered immediately.

Indirect subsidies provided to private distribution companies must be ended.

Energy should be treated as a basic human right, not a source of profit.

Reducing the distribution fee will not only relieve households; it will also be one of the strongest barriers against the inflationary spiral.