The Chamber of Electrical Engineers (EMO) announced that with the latest tariff coming into effect in April 2025, more than 70% of a family’s electricity bill now goes to distribution, not energy.
The Cost of 230 kWh of Consumption: It Goes to Intermediaries, Not to Energy
According to the calculation made based on the average monthly electricity consumption of a 4-person household, which EMO uses as a reference, 230 kilowatt-hours (kWh), the bill amount, which was 476.60 TL in April 2024, increased to 595.80 TL with the 2025 tariff.
However, the most striking aspect of this increase is that only 19% of the total bill is the actual energy cost. So, while the actual cost of electricity used by the consumer remains around 113 TL, 71% of the remaining amount (approximately 423 TL) goes to distribution, transmission, meter reading, and similar “service” items.
640% Increase in Distribution Fee!
According to EMO’s assessment based on the last five years’ data, the electricity bill, which was 183 TL in 2021 with similar consumption, increased by nearly 225% in four years to levels of 595 TL. However, the magnitude of the increase in distribution costs during this process is shocking: 642%. In contrast, the increase in energy costs remained around 25%. This means that consumers are essentially paying for intermediaries and infrastructure operators, not for electricity itself. The Chamber of Electrical Engineers (EMO): “Let the Public Sector Manage This System, Let Prices Fall” The Chamber of Electrical Engineers (EMO) emphasizes that the main source of this imbalance is the privatized energy distribution structure. According to EMO, the commercialization of a strategic service like electricity has turned into a system that works against citizens in the long run.
“Access to energy is a fundamental right. However, today’s tariffs have become a revenue model for private companies. The consumer has become someone who pays a profit to the private sector for a public service,”
The EMO statement, which includes these expressions, emphasizes that the privatized distribution companies should be transferred back to the public sector.
Harsh Criticism of EPDK: “It No Longer Has a Function”
EMO’s criticisms also target the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK), the regulatory body of the energy market. According to the Chamber, EPDK is no longer a regulator acting in the public interest, but has become a structure that creates pricing policies that suit the interests of private distribution companies.
Therefore, EMO proposes that EPDK be abolished and replaced with a new, independent, and public-oriented structure called the Expropriation Administration. Thus, energy production and distribution can be brought back under public control and prices can be lowered.
Hidden Price Increases and Lack of Transparency
Another point of criticism is the lack of transparency regarding the content of the distribution fee.
Details of sub-items such as meter reading, maintenance services, and energy losses are not disclosed.
It is not publicly known which item was increased and according to what criteria.
This reinforces the perception of a “hidden price increase” and leads to a loss of consumer confidence.
What Can Consumers Do?
Experts recommend a detailed examination of invoice items and, if necessary, filing individual complaints with distribution companies and the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK). At the same time, alternative and local solutions such as energy cooperatives can also be an option in favor of the consumer.
Conclusion: Electricity Bills Are No Longer Energy Costs, But System Costs
The warning from the Chamber of Electrical Engineers points to deep structural problems in the energy market. The bill paid by citizens now finances the intermediaries of the system, not the electricity itself. This situation is not only a pricing policy, but also a problem related to the quality of public service.
