Regulation on Floating Solar Power Plants Published

The General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works published the Regulation on Procedures and Principles Regarding the Use and Leasing of Water Surface for the Establishment of Floating Solar Power Plants [1] (“Regulation”) on December 10, 2025.

The Regulation sets out in detail the procedures for the use and leasing of water surfaces for the installation of floating solar power plants (“floating SPPs”) on dam reservoirs, artificial lakes and irrigation canals operated by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (“DSİ”). It also covers the receipt and assessment of floating SPP applications submitted by legal entities that operate or will operate in the market for dammed reservoirs, artificial lakes and canal surface areas, as well as the principles governing feasibility and project design, the determination of leasing procedures and principles, as well as the operation, maintenance and decommissioning of such facilities.

Under the Regulation, the following parties may submit applications for floating SPPs:

• licence and preliminary licence holders wishing to install floating SPPs as an auxiliary source to generation facilities whose primary source is hydraulic;
• DSİ and irrigation unions, for the purpose of meeting the energy needs of irrigation facilities;
• municipalities and their affiliated entities, for water surfaces within municipal boundaries; and
• investors awarded the right to develop projects as a result of Renewable Energy Resource Area (“YEKA”) tenders in areas deemed suitable by DSİ.

Where there are multiple requests for the same reservoir or canal surface, the Regulation gives priority, respectively, to: projects intended to meet the energy needs of irrigation facilities; facilities installed as an auxiliary source to hydroelectric plants; YEKA projects; and municipal projects.

A noteworthy exception is that, for agricultural irrigation projects, irrigation unions are granted the right to use the water surface free of charge. The lease term is determined in parallel with the licence term for YEKA projects and projects installed as an auxiliary source to hydroelectric plants, whereas for municipality and irrigation union projects within the scope of unlicensed generation, a ten-year term regime is introduced with  extensions of up to two additional ten-year periods, allowing a total duration of up to thirty years.

From a technical and environmental standpoint, the Regulation introduces noteworthy restrictions and standards for floating SPP projects. Installation is not permitted in areas restricted under the Coastal Law, dams whose volume is kept empty throughout the year for flood control purposes, reservoirs with an area below 0.5 km² at normal water level, and sites designated as protected areas under applicable legislation. In addition, the total area of floating SPP “islands” is capped so as not to exceed 10% of the reservoir area at normal water level and 30% of the reservoir area at minimum water level. DSİ is granted the authority to unilaterally amend reservoir operation plans based on needs and to request project revisions for environmental or technical reasons, while liability is placed on the investor, including third-party damages and waste management.

According to the transitionary provisions, legal entities must submit a feasibility report in the new format within three months and renew their lease agreements in accordance with the Regulation.    This applies to projects whose floating SPP feasibility report was found appropriate by DSİ or for which a lease agreement was executed prior to the publication of the Regulation. It is envisaged that existing lease agreements of investors who fail to apply within this period will be terminated.

[1] https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/MevzuatMetin/yonetmelik/7.5.42751.pdf  (only available in Turkish)