Turkey's imports of thermal coal in the January–August period of 2026 fell to their lowest level since 2022, sources indicated on 27 October 2026.
Record hydropower output this year reduced demand for coal-fired generation, the report said, and was the principal factor behind the decline in shipments. Hydropower's stronger contribution to the power mix left less room for coal units to run, curbing imports that supply those plants.
The report also identified supply disruptions as a drag on deliveries to Turkey. Those interruptions, together with weak economics at some coal-fired power stations, further restrained volumes arriving in the country.
Despite the drop in imports, thermal coal retained a cost advantage over gas-fired generation during the period, according to reports summary. That relative competitiveness persisted even as the broader energy market was affected by ongoing geopolitical turmoil.
Market participants therefore faced a mixture of forces: lower domestic demand for coal-fired generation because of renewables, logistical and supply obstacles that limited imports, and a price environment that kept coal attractive against gas. The combination produced a clear reduction in January–August shipments compared with recent years.
Hydropower surge
reports attributed the import decline primarily to exceptional hydropower output in 2026. With more electricity supplied from hydro, coal-fired plants were used less, lowering the need for imported thermal coal to feed them.
Supply and economic pressures
The report highlights supply disruptions and weak plant economics as additional factors. These elements curtailed shipments independently of generation choices, creating a compounded effect on import volumes.
The pattern described by the report leaves a complex picture: while coal remained economically competitive with gas, physical and operational limits reduced the actual flow of coal into the Turkish market in the first eight months of the year, making 2026 markedly softer for thermal coal imports than in 2022.