Yatağan Power Station is a coal-fired power station in Turkey in Yatağan, Muğla Province in the south-west of the country. Currently owned by Aydem Enerji it has a 120m chimney. Yatağan thermal power plant consumes 5.4 million tons of coal and can produce 3,780 GWh annually, the least productive power station in Turkey. The area is a sulfur dioxide air pollution hotspot and as of 2017 the air pollution caused by Yatağan and neighboring Kemerköy power station and Yeniköy power station is estimated to have caused 45,000 premature deaths. 2 workers were killed in 2018 and the plant's safety has been criticized by the Chamber of Engineers. In 2018 the plant received 70 million lira capacity payments, and 94 million lira in 2019. In 2019 local people protested against 48 villages being destroyed by expansion of the mine feeding the plant. Opponents of the coal mining also claim it threatens the ancient city of Lagina. İklim Değişikliği Politika ve Araştırma Derneği said that the plant was given a 5 year licence despite not having rehabilitated former ash storage landfill.
Turkey has no nuclear power plants but is building Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, which is expected to come online in 2023. The nuclear power debate has a long history, with the 2018 construction start in Mersin Province being the sixth major attempt to build a nuclear power plant since 1960. Nuclear power has been criticised as very expensive to taxpayers.
Energy consumption per person in Turkey is similar to the world average, and over 85 percent is from fossil fuels. From 1990 to 2017 annual primary energy supply tripled, but then remained constant to 2019. In 2019, Turkey's primary energy supply included around 30 percent oil, 30 percent coal, and 25 percent gas. These fossil fuels contribute to Turkey's air pollution and its above average greenhouse gas emissions. Turkey mines its own lignite but imports three-quarters of its energy, including half the coal and almost all the oil and gas it requires, and its energy policy prioritises reducing imports. The OECD has criticised the lack of carbon pricing, fossil fuel subsidies and the country's under-utilized wind and solar potential. The country's electricity is generated mainly from coal, gas and hydroelectricity; with a small but growing amount from wind, solar and geothermal. However, Black Sea gas is forecast to meet all residential demand from the late 2020s. A nuclear power plant is also under construction, and one half of installed power capacity is renewable energy. Despite this, from 1990 to 2019, carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion rose from 130 megatonnes (Mt) to 360 Mt.
The Electricity Generation Company is the largest electric power company in Turkey. Owned by the government, it produces and trades electricity throughout the country.
Coal supplies over a quarter of Turkey's primary energy. The heavily subsidised coal industry generates over a third of the country's electricity and emits a third of Turkey's greenhouse gases.
The Zonguldak Eren Termik Santrali (ZETES) power stations in Zonguldak are 3 coal-fired power stations in Turkey totaling 2790 MW owned by Eren Holding via Eren Enerji.
The Afşin-Elbistan power stations are coal-fired power stations in Afşin in Kahramanmaraş Province in Turkey. The area is a sulfur dioxide air pollution hotspot: Air pollution can be trapped by the surrounding mountains, and Greenpeace say that measurements they took nearby in late 2020 show illegal levels of particulates and nitrogen oxides. The Environment Ministry has not released the flue gas measurements.
Seyitömer power station is a 600-megawatt coal-fired power station in Turkey in Kütahya built in the late 20th century, which burns lignite mined locally.
Tunçbilek power station is a 365 MW coal-fired power station in Turkey in Kütahya built in the 1970s, which burns lignite mined locally. The plant is owned by Çelikler Holding and in 2018 received 41 million lira capacity payments. The area is a sulfur dioxide air pollution hotspot. According to İklim Değişikliği Politika ve Araştırma Derneği in 2021 the plant operated without a licence for 11 days without penalty.
Kangal power station is a 457 MW coal-fired power station in Turkey in Sivas, mostly built in the late 20th century, which burns lignite mined locally. The plant is owned by Anadolu Birlik Holding via Konya Şeker and in 2018 received 51 million lira capacity payments. The area is a sulfur dioxide air pollution hotspot, and agricultural soil is contaminated with chromium, nickel and mercury.
Şırnak Silopi power station is a 405 MW operational power station in Silopi, in Şırnak Province in the south-east of Turkey. It is fuelled with asphaltite from Silopi asphaltite mine.
Çatalağzı power station (ÇATES) is a coal-fired power station in Turkey. Its two units opened in 1990 and 1991, and it was privatised in 2014. The plant was shut down for not meeting new air pollution regulations for coal in Turkey in January 2020, but was granted a one-year temporary operating licence by the Turkish Environment Ministry in June.
Coal power in Turkey generates between a quarter and a third of the nation's electricity. There are 55 coal-fired power stations with a total capacity of 20 gigawatts (GW).
Soma Kolin power station is a 510-megawatt coal-fired power station in Turkey in Manisa Province, which burns lignite mined locally. The planned original site was changed after local protests. Both units were funded by Turkish banks, built by Harbin Power Equipment, are subcritical and started generatiing in 2019.
Cenal power station is a 1320-megawatt coal-fired power station in Turkey in Çanakkale province, which burns imported and local coal. The plant was financed by Turkish banks and is owned by Cengiz Holding and Alarko Holding and receives capacity payments. Environmentalists, such as Greenpeace, attempted to stop construction with protests, and legal action against the environmental impact assessments. Cenal is on the Global Coal Exit List.
Bekirli power station or İÇDAŞ Bekirli-2 power station or İÇDAŞ Biga-2 power station is a 2 unit 1200-megawatt coal-fired power station in Turkey in Çanakkale province owned by İÇDAŞ, which burns imported and local coal and receives capacity payments. İşbank provided construction finance. Opponents say it is one of many polluting industries in the area.
Tufanbeyli power station is a 450 MW coal-fired power station in Turkey in Tufanbeyli, built in the 2010s, which burns lignite mined locally. The plant is 40% owned by Sabancı Holding via Enerjisa Enerji and 40% by E.ON and in 2022 received capacity payments.
Çolakoğlu power station is a 190-megawatt coal-fired power station in Turkey in Gebze, Kocaeli Province, which burns imported and local coal.
