To reveal the potential of our country's energy raw materials (coal, bituminous shale, asphaltite, uranium, geothermal energy, etc.) and to take inventory, determine the quality and reserves of the potentials found as a result of exploration and research projects, determine the quality and reserves of our country's energy and to guarantee our country’s external dependency, such researches provide information in line with our General Directorate’s macro aims.

Although our country possesses almost every conventional source of energy, only 30% of our primary energy demand is covered by our own sources whereas the remaining percentage is imported. Prominent energy imports include petroleum gas, natural gas and bituminous coal.
Within the policy of increasing local usage of resources in Energy sector of our Ministry, intensive coal exploration activities were increased and our country’s lignite reserves saw a rise from 1.636.940 to 7.38 billion tons. Our general directorate employs a leading role in such exploration activities and has successfully managed important projects within the past few years. Researches conducted led to a 89% increase in lignite reserves. Such reserves and the additional reserves found correspond to continues power supply of power plants with up to 20.000 MW for 30 years.