The Turkish presidential palace is expected to consume enough electricity in 2019 to power 1,300 private homes, according to a tender opened for the purchase of electricity for the coming year.
The palace announced its electricity requirement for 2019 at 2.6 kWh, the Birgun daily reported. According to statistics, 28 million subscribers nationwide consume approximately 55 billion kWh.
The palace built by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan often makes news for its exorbitant expenditures.
Last month a report by Turkey’s Court of Accounts showed that more than TL 1.8 million (around $300,000) was spent daily in 2017 for the expenses of Erdoğan’s presidential palace in Ankara’s Beştepe neighborhood.
According to the report, a total of TL 658 million was spent for presidential palace expenses in 2017, which translates into a monthly expenditure of TL 54 million and a daily expenditure of TL 1.8 million.
The report showed TL 106 million was spent on salaries for employees at the presidential palace, while Erdoğan’s monthly salary is TL 53,300. Erdoğan has many advisors at the palace.
According to the report, around TL 36 million was spent in 2017 for representation and entertainment activities at the palace that are organized at the order of Erdoğan.
For the palace kitchen, which has recently attracted criticism for its extravagant spending on luxury foods, TL 2.6 million was spent in 2017, the Court of Accounts report said.
The presidential complex was at the center of criticism when it was constructed due to its large budget, expensive interiors, more than a thousand rooms and luxurious design as well as the felling of trees in its neighborhood.
When Erdoğan moved into the palace in November 2014, more than TL 1.7 billion had been spent on it, twice the original estimate.