Enerjisa Üretim Achieves a Turkey First: Ovacık Wind Farm Run Entirely by Women

Enerjisa Üretim, advancing equal opportunities in the energy sector and increasing women's employment, celebrates a transformational model for the sector on International Women's Day.

Through the REDKA (Women Transforming Wind into Energy) program, the company brings female engineers and technicians into the sector, while Ovacık RES, Turkey's first wind power plant managed entirely by an all-female team, continues to symbolize fundamental change in the sector by demonstrating women's power in energy.

Ovacık RES: A Turkish first, operated entirely by women
Ovacık RES, one of Enerjisa Üretim's energy facilities leading Turkey's renewable energy transformation, does more than just generate power—it sets the wind of equality in motion across the sector on gender parity. As part of the 1,000 MW YEKA RES-2 project, one of Europe's largest single wind investments, Ovacık RES has made history as Turkey's and the region's first wind power plant managed entirely by women from end to end. From technical maintenance to operations management and security, all roles are assumed by women.

Female engineers and technicians trained through the REDKA program are now playing active roles on site at Ovacık RES, leading the sector's transformation in the energy industry. With Enerjisa Üretim's support for local development, not only professional women but also women from the local community are being brought into the sector. Through the REDKA program, women are taking on roles in turbine maintenance and operations, becoming the names that harness the power of the wind.

Women's power in energy knows no limits
The REDKA program, which is directing women's employment in the energy sector, specializes engineers and technicians in renewable energy, enabling them to play active roles in the field. Through training in critical areas such as wind energy technology, maintenance and repair processes, and operational management, women turn theory into practice and establish a strong foothold in the sector.

Enerjisa Üretim continues to enhance women's power in the energy transformation in line with its commitments under the UN Global Compact and the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs). Through REDKA, women are not only entering the sector but becoming pioneers of the transformation.

We are directing our future with women's energy
Ayşegül Gürkale, Assistant General Manager of Human Resources and Culture at Enerjisa Üretim, emphasized in a statement on the occasion of 8 March International Women's Day that increasing women's presence in the sector is of critical importance for sustainability:

"The energy sector grows not only through technical expertise but through inclusivity and equality. We embarked on this journey with Ovacık Wind Power Plant and the REDKA program to ensure women have greater participation in renewable energy, and now we know that this is not merely a social responsibility but a necessity that strengthens the sector's future. We have initiated a major transformation in the energy sector, long regarded as a male-dominated field. Ovacık RES is, as a first in Turkey and the region, a power plant managed entirely by women from end to end. From technical maintenance to operations management and security, all roles are assumed by women. This is not just an employment initiative; it is a movement of transformation. Because we know that promising equality requires taking concrete steps to achieve real equality.

We are aware that women's employment rates in the energy sector are low, and we are taking concrete steps to change this status quo. Two years ago, we launched the 'Women Transforming Wind into Energy' program and brought female engineers and technicians into the sector; today, Ovacık RES is entrusted entirely to REDKAs. We aim to raise the women's employment rate in renewable energy to 60 percent, and we will not stop until we reach this goal. We believe that 8 March should not be regarded merely as a day when flowers are given, but should be equipped with opportunities that bring out women's potential and enable them to reach the places they deserve. As Enerjisa Üretim, we are determined to be pioneers of this change. We celebrate 8 March International Women's Day for all women and want to emphasize that we will continue to work to see more women in the energy sector," she said.

Saadet Çekemoğlu, Operations Engineer at Enerjisa Üretim's Ovacık Plant, said she came here with high aspirations: "The energy sector may have challenging conditions, but we women can achieve the best in every field and every sector. Ovacık RES is Turkey's first and only power plant composed entirely of women. Working here is a great honor for me. Our 13 turbines have an installed capacity of 54.6 MW, each with a generation capacity of 4.2 MW, and our towers are 110 meters high. Being part of this project showed me once again how important it is to pursue your dreams and to have courage. As women, we should never stop dreaming and daring," she said.

Zelihanur Güler, Operations Technician at Ovacık Plant, who was born and raised in Manisa and graduated from the electrical engineering program at Manisa Celal Bayar University, said: "Until university, I saw the energy sector as a field reserved for men. But when I heard that Ovacık RES would be operated by women, I said to myself, 'Why can't I do this?' and took the first step on this journey. Thanks to the REDKA program, I received comprehensive technical training ranging from the operating principles of wind turbines to working with high voltage, and I found the opportunity to apply it in the field. At first, seeing the high towers frightened me, but through training I overcame that fear and now I do this work with passion. My family and friends have always been by my side, and their support boosted my confidence. Today, as a woman working in this sector, I want to say: 'This job has no gender. Follow your dreams, never give up on your courage,'" she said.