Energy Management and Environmental Investments

Energy management plays a critical role in building a sustainable future. By taking pioneering steps in the fight against climate change, we aim to minimise environmental impacts and systematically reduce our carbon footprint through energy efficiency solutions. The risks highlighted in the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report, such as climate change, natural disasters and resource management, are at the core of our sustainability strategies. With this awareness, we prioritise both investments in renewable energy and projects that will enhance the efficiency of our existing infrastructure.

We remain firmly committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from electricity consumption, refrigerant use and generator fuel across all our service locations throughout Türkiye. In 2024, our fixed infrastructure transformation and optimisation projects yielded energy savings of 14.4 GWh, while our investments in cooling systems resulted in an additional 13.7 GWh in savings. At the same time, through TTessa – the Smart Energy Management Platform, we closely monitored energy consumption in the field and achieved a further 5.7 GWh in savings.

To enhance our operational efficiency, we have implemented technological improvements such as mobile infrastructure transformation projects (1.8 GWh), access FTTX cabinet upgrades (2.5 GWh), and power-saving software solutions at base stations (1 GWh). In addition, we commissioned solar energy systems with a total capacity of 1.2 MW at 370 base stations, generating 1.9 GWh of renewable energy. Through test room and indoor cooling projects carried out at fixed sites, we achieved a further 1 GWh in energy savings.

Through all these projects, we achieved a total of 42 GWh in energy savings in 2024. While expanding the use of alternative solutions such as solar energy, we continue to minimise our environmental impact by integrating digital and smart systems that optimise resource consumption. The gains we have made in this area are not only environmental but also have significant economic benefits. Our strong efforts in energy efficiency also contribute to the development of the renewable energy sector.

Energy Intensity

In 2024, consolidated energy intensity per revenue in USD terms decreased by 21% compared to previous year, reaching 347 MWh per million USD, as a result of our energy efficiency projects and renewable energy investments. There has been a 1% annual increase in energy intensity per subscriber. This can be explained by a sizeable increase in the number of total subscribers over years. Although the number of fixed voice subscribers has been declining due to a shift in technology, the number of mobile, fixed broadband, and TV subscribers in total has been significantly rising.. Since 2020, despite a 15% increase in the number of subscribers excluding fixed voice, the amount of purchased electricity has remained nearly constant.

With the efficiency projects we implemented in 2024:

Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Network Solutions

✓ We implemented sustainabilityfocused solutions by selecting antenna models that reduce our energy consumption by up to 15%.

✓ We optimised the addition of capacitive equipment in a way that does not negatively impact customer experience, reducing energy consumption in the field.

✓ With 3G to 4.5G transition investments in all cities, we reduced the energy spent to carry the same amount of data by 50%.

✓ As a result of our “Power Saving” optimisation efforts applied to 3G and 4.5G networks, we achieved an energy saving of 86 MWh.

Networks Powered by Renewable Energy

As part of the projects we implemented in 2024, we integrated a total of 1.2 MW of solar energy systems into 370 base stations. With this investment, the total installed capacity of our renewable energy systems reached 5.5 MW. Thanks to the more effective use of solar energy in telecommunications infrastructure, we achieved an energy saving of 1.9 GWh. Our investments in renewable energy not only reduce the carbon footprint of our operations but also contribute to our sustainable growth by decreasing our reliance on external energy sources.

Projects planned for completion in 2025:

Renewable Energy Investments

• We plan to install solar energy systems (SES) with a total capacity of 1 MW at approximately 200 base stations in TT Mobile sites. With this system, we aim to achieve energy savings of 25- 30% per site, while also reducing site outages during power cuts with battery support and decreasing the use of generators.

• We plan to install rooftop SES with a capacity of 1 MW at fixed sites, thus increasing our use of renewable energy and aiming to reduce our carbon emissions.

• The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process has started for all the sites where we plan to carry out installations, and we have received a positive EIA report for the Sivas Zara Project with a capacity of 96 MWe. The process is ongoing for the other locations. We have completed the tender process for the Sivas Zara Project and will start the investment in 2025. Once complete, we expect a significant increase in the proportion of self-consumption met by renewable energy.

Digital Transformation in Energy Efficiency

In addition to our renewable energy investments, we continue to utilise digitalisation and advanced analytics solutions to manage our current energy consumption more efficiently. In this context, with the TTessa – Smart Energy Management System Platform (Türk Telekom Energy Smart System Application) that we have developed, we monitor and manage the energy equipment in our fixed and mobile networks through a centralised structure.

The platform securely collects data from various energy components, such as generators, DC systems (direct current power systems), UPS devices (uninterruptible power supplies), air conditioners, FCB units (Free Cooling Boxes – natural ventilation systems), digital thermostats, and meters. This data is processed through AI-supported analysis, enhancing operational quality while enabling us to manage energy consumption more effectively and efficiently.

Throughout 2024, we achieved a total energy saving of 5.7 GWh through the TTessa platform. This result stands as a tangible output of our data-driven management approach, while the user-friendly interface of the system significantly improved efficiency and control capabilities in our field operations. On the other hand, we dynamically managed power consumption with the new software features we introduced, which are activated during hours of low traffic at our energy-intensive base stations. As a result of these optimisation efforts, we achieved an additional energy saving of over 1 GWh in 2024.

Additionally, as part of the energy efficiency projects we are carrying out in the Çorum province, we achieved 30% energy savings by replacing the devices used at our base stations with models that have higher energy efficiency.

These innovative practices in energy management contribute to our goal of reducing environmental impacts and reinforce our commitment to operational excellence.

Network Modernisation and Technological Transformation

✓ As part of modernisation projects, we simplified equipment, providing higher quality service to our customers while achieving an annual energy saving of approximately 420 MWh.

Projects planned for completion in 2025:

Energy Efficiency and Network Optimisation

✓ We plan to develop artificial intelligence solutions for energy and cooling infrastructure. This system will help us optimise our energy consumption and make our operational processes more efficient.

✓ We will continue working on “Power Saving” features and parameter optimisation in 3G and 4.5G networks to further improve the efficiency of our energy consumption.

More Efficient Use with Advanced Cooling Technologies

The improvements we have made to cooling systems, which account for a large portion of our energy consumption, play a significant role in enhancing our energy efficiency. In 2024, by replacing outdated air conditioning systems in both our fixed and mobile networks with next-generation efficient devices, we achieved lower energy consumption. Additionally, by expanding the use of free cooling box systems, we ensured that base stations and telecom system rooms are cooled with outdoor air at a lower cost. As a result of these transformations, we achieved energy savings of up to 80%, and through these optimisations in cooling systems, we saved 15 GWh of energy annually.

Energy Efficiency in Data Centres

Data centres are inherently highenergy-consuming critical infrastructure facilities. As Türk Telekom, we are undertaking a comprehensive transformation process to make these energy-intensive structures more efficient and sustainable. Along with three commercial data centres in Ümitköy, Esenyurt, and Gayrettepe, we also operate Türk Telekom’s own data centres in Ümraniye and Ahlatlıbel.

In line with our energy efficiency goals, we aim to reduce the PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) value of our existing data centres to 1.4, and for newly constructed data centres, to 1.2. As of 2024, the average PUE value of our existing data centres is 1.55, down from 1.8 in 2020. This value is in line with the global average and is below the levels typically seen in Türkiye, which range from 1.7 to 1.9.

In addition, we are implementing various measures to reduce our water consumption in our data centres. The rainwater recovery system used at our Esenyurt data centre helps optimise our use of natural resources, while the misting technology applied to the outdoor units of the DX cooling systems at our Ümitköy data centre minimises our water consumption and increases cooling efficiency.

Additionally, with the Artificial Intelligence-Supported Cooling Optimisation Project, which we plan to implement at our Ümitköy data centre, we aim to reduce cooling energy consumption by 20%. This project, which is planned to be completed by the end of 2025, aims to achieve energy savings by managing cooling systems in the most efficient way through artificial intelligence algorithms.

Major Steps in Energy Saving

Our efforts in energy efficiency not only contribute to environmental sustainability, but also allow us to optimise our energy costs by increasing our operational efficiency.

With our sustainability-focused energy management approach, we continue to invest in the future, developing innovative solutions to build a low-carbon and more efficient telecommunications infrastructure.

Continuing GPON Investments

GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) is a high-speed network standard primarily used for fibre optic broadband services. Unlike the standard copper wire used in most networks, GPON is 95% more energy efficient. GPON investments also reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to the reduced need for network maintenance. Consequently, decommissioning the copper-based network has an additional positive environmental impact. Over the past five years, we have moved around 3.5 million subscribers to GPON infrastructure, saving 70.4 GWh of energy in the process. We will continue to invest in GPON in 2025 and beyond.

Technological Infrastructure and Efficiency Projects

We continue our relentless transformation efforts towards energy efficiency and sustainable technological infrastructure. In 2023, we carried out significant modernisations to improve our energy and cooling infrastructure. As part of this, we upgraded our data transmission systems (SDH – Synchronous Digital Hierarchy, MPLS – Multi-Protocol Label Switching, DWDM – Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) and completed the installation of air conditioning, generators, batteries, outdoor cooling units (FCB), uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and direct current (DC) energy systems.

In 2024, we focused on maintaining the performance and efficiency of the infrastructure we had installed for energy and cooling systems by ensuring their continuity. To manage our energy consumption more effectively, we launched the Power Saving Feature project and carried out system room and network card optimisations. Additionally, we strengthened our steps to reduce environmental impacts by continuing our switching centre modernisation efforts through implementing AC-DC (alternating current to direct current) transition projects in our intranet infrastructure.

Our strategic collaborations with suppliers have played a crucial role in our technological transformation journey. As part of a buyback agreement with one of our main international suppliers, we contributed to our environmental sustainability goals by recycling radio equipment that had reached the end of its lifecycle. In our antenna purchases, we enhanced network efficiency by selecting models that consume less energy and provide energy savings of up to 15%. At the same time, we targeted reducing energy consumption in the field by optimising the process of adding capacity equipment without compromising the customer experience.

We accelerated our efforts to transition 3G bands to 4.5G technology across all cities. With this transformation, we successfully reduced the energy spent to carry the same data volume by 50%. Additionally, through the “Power Saving” optimisations we implemented in 3G and 4.5G networks, we achieved a total energy saving of 86 MWh.

We installed solar energy systems (SES) at 370 base stations to increase energy efficiency. Through the SES systems, we supported batteries during power outages, reduced site-level interruptions, and significantly lowered generator usage, thereby reducing fuel consumption.

All of the projects we implemented throughout 2024 demonstrated our strong commitment to reduce energy costs and build a sustainable infrastructure, while further solidified our leadership in environmental sustainability within the sector.

Energy Management and Certifications

We work diligently to align our energy management processes with national and international standards and take comprehensive steps to minimise the environmental impact of our operations. By holding internationally recognised certifications such as ISO 50001 Energy Management System, ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, and I-REC (International Renewable Energy Certificate), we manage our energy consumption and sustainability policies in compliance with these standards. All our service sites across Türkiye are ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systemcertified. ensuring the systematic management of environmental impacts.

We calculate our energy consumption data based on national and international standards such as the Turkish Standards Institution (TSE) and ISO 50001. Our calculation methodologies are determined in accordance with standards set by TSE and international standards and are implemented within the company according to a defined level of standardisation and accuracy. We collect energy consumption data from various sources, such as electricity, gas, and heat-using standardised calculation formulas and procedures and conduct detailed analyses. By calculating with official conversion factors set by Türkiye’s energy sector authorities and verified data from reliable sources, we establish a solid foundation for our sustainability goals.

By continuously monitoring energy intensity and electricity consumption, we carry out comprehensive efficiency projects aimed at reducing both metrics, taking actions for lower carbon emissions and sustainable energy management.

We closely monitor efficiency efforts to reduce electricity consumption. In this process, we target year-on-year reduction in energy consumption and carry out our efforts accordingly. Through the implementation of projects and measures taken to optimise our energy consumption, we continue to minimise our environmental impact and build a more efficient business model.