Fact check: Saudi energy firm’s $2 billion solar deal with Turkey

Claim Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed a roughly $2 billion agreement on February 20 in Istanbul to construct two solar power plants, and Turkey’s AKP government submitted a bill to parliament seeking approval of this agreement.

Evidence TurkishMinute reports the deal was signed at a waterfront palace on the Bosporus Strait in Istanbul on February 20, valued at about $2 billion, with ACWA Power to build two 1,000‑MW plants in Sivas and Karaman Taşeli. Invest.gov.tr states the agreement was signed in Riyadh by Turkey’s Energy Minister and Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister, worth approximately USD 2 billion, focusing on solar and wind projects. Both sources confirm ACWA Power will construct two solar power plants, each with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts, located in Sivas province and the Karaman Taşeli area of Turkey. TurkishMinute adds the projects would generate enough electricity to meet the needs of about 2.1 million households.

Verdict Mixed.

Analysis The financial value, the parties involved, and the plant specifications are consistently reported across independent news and government sources, confirming that ACWA Power will build two 1,000‑MW solar facilities in central Turkey and that the AKP government has forwarded a bill for parliamentary approval. The only point of contention is the signing location: TurkishMinute places the ceremony in Istanbul on February 20, while Invest.gov.tr records it in Riyadh. This disagreement prevents a fully true rating, but it does not affect the substance of the agreement or the planned construction.

Watch for the Turkish parliament’s vote on the bill and any subsequent updates on construction timelines or financing details.