TEİAŞ initiates land expropriation for 400/154 kV Likya Havza substation in Antalya

The Turkish transmission system operator, TEİAŞ, has initiated urgent expropriation procedures for the site designated for the Likya Havza substation in Antalya. The project encompasses a new transmission node designed to couple the extra-high-voltage backbone at 400 kV with the regional transmission network at 154 kV. By securing land under emergency statutory powers, the operator aims to eliminate real estate bottlenecks that frequently delay transmission expansions in rapidly growing Mediterranean coastal zones.

Antalya experiences dramatic seasonal demand swings driven by tourism hospitality, agricultural pumping, and heavy cooling loads during peak summer periods. Power delivery into the regional pocket relies heavily on stepped-down lines, creating transmission bottlenecks and high loading on existing autotransformer banks. Adding a 400 kV stepping down to 154 kV transformation hub provides critical bulk power injection directly into the regional transmission network. This reinforcement eases transfer constraints, curtails regional transmission losses, and improves voltage stability across adjacent nodes during periods of severe ambient heat and system stress.

For network engineers and plant planners, the expropriation decision marks an essential project transition from spatial planning to civil site preparation and equipment procurement. The introduction of 400/154 kV autotransformers requires substantial balance-of-plant design, including high-capacity surge protection, robust earthing grids to manage elevated earth fault currents, and advanced on-load tap changer integration to regulate volatile summer voltages. Furthermore, bringing bulk power deeper into the Antalya basin expands hosting capacity for prospective solar projects and industrial developments seeking connection to the 154 kV transmission level.

What this means for asset owners in Türkiye: Generation developers, industrial facility managers, and distribution engineers across Türkiye should prepare for shifting outage windows as interconnection works and line tie-ins progress around Antalya. Grid connection queues will see relief, but long lead times for high-voltage autotransformers and gas-insulated switchgear require engineering teams to align procurement schedules well ahead of transmission commissioning dates to prevent costly energisation delays.