Power cuts during a winter cold snap have disrupted life in Hatay, a province still recovering from the twin earthquakes of February 2023.
Electricity was cut for hours in many neighborhoods of Antakya, Samandağ and Defne, while some areas reported outages lasting several days.
Toroslar Electricity Distribution Inc. (Toroslar EDAŞ), affiliated with Enerjisa, said in a statement that one in five homes inspected in Samandağ was using electricity illegally, claiming this threatened the security of the energy supply.
Residents rejected that explanation, saying the main problem is not illegal use but inadequate infrastructure — an issue they say has worsened since the earthquakes damaged the grid.
Samandağ Mayor Emrah Karaçay also criticized Toroslar EDAŞ, calling it unfair to place responsibility for the energy crisis on citizens.
The Energy and Natural Resources Ministry said work was continuing urgently to address excessive load and disaster-related outages in Hatay. The ministry cited sudden nighttime temperature drops that pushed electricity demand to record levels, especially in areas using electric heaters.
More than 200 technicians from other provinces were dispatched to Hatay as of Jan. 1 to respond to the outages, the ministry said.
