Tunçbilek power station (also known as Çelikler Tunçbilek power station) is a 365 MW coal-fired power station in Turkey in Kütahya built in the 1970s, which burns lignite from Tunçbilek coal mine. [1] The plant is owned by Çelikler Holding and in 2018 received 41 million lira capacity payments. [2] The area is a sulfur dioxide air pollution hotspot. [3] According to İklim Değişikliği Politika ve Araştırma Derneği (Climate Change Policy and Research Association) in 2021 the plant operated without a licence for 11 days without penalty. [4] : 79
In 2022 it was operating on a temporary licence. [5] : 30
It is estimated that closing the plant by 2030, instead of when its licence ends in 2064, would prevent over 6000 premature deaths. [6]
The Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change is a government ministry of the Republic of Turkey, responsible for the environment, public works, and urban planning in Turkey. The ministry is headed by Murat Kurum.
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 from mines such as Turgut 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. It is estimated that closing the plant by 2030, instead of when its licence ends in 2063, would prevent over 9000 premature deaths. Two workers were killed in 2018 and the plant's safety has been criticized by the Chamber of Engineers.
Droughts and heatwaves are the main hazards due to the climate of Turkey getting hotter. The temperature has risen by more than 1.5 °C (2.7 °F), and there is more extreme weather.
Coal supplies 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 two coal-fired power stations in Turkey, in Afşin District in Kahramanmaraş Province. Both Afşin-Elbistan A, built in the 1980s, and the newer Afşin-Elbistan B burn lignite from the nearby Elbistan coalfield.
Emba Hunutlu power station is a 1320 MW coal fired power station in Turkey in Adana Province. As of 2022 it is the largest Chinese foreign direct investment in the country. Despite opposition from many environmental organisations the plant was started up in 2022 and burns Russian coal as it is cheaper than other coal. The plant is less than 2 km from another coal-fired power station, İsken Sugözü.
Çayırhan power station is a 620 MW operational coal fired power station in Turkey in Ankara Province. In 2019 land was expropriated for another lignite mine, to feed the a proposed extension, which was opposed as uneconomic and eventually had its licence revoked.
Kemerköy power station is a 630 MW coal-fired power station in Turkey in Kemerköy, Muğla, completed in 1985, which burns lignite mined locally. Originally state owned by Electricity Generation Company it was sold in 2014 to Limak- IC İçtaş. In 2020 it received 140 million lira ($25,000,000) capacity payments.
Yeniköy power station is a 420 MW coal-fired power station in Turkey in Yeniköy, Muğla built in the late 20th century, which burns lignite mined locally. The plant is owned by Limak- IC İçtaş and in 2020 it received 93 million lira ($16,000,000) capacity payments. The area is a sulfur dioxide air pollution hotspot and as of 2017 the air pollution caused by Yeniköy and neighboring Yatağan power station and Kemerköy power station is estimated to have caused 45,000 premature deaths. It is estimated that closing the plant by 2030, instead of when its licence ends in 2063, would prevent over 7000 premature deaths.
Seyitömer power station is a 600-megawatt coal-fired power station in Turkey near Seyitömer, Kütahya Province, built in the late 20th century, which burns lignite mined locally.
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.
İsken Sugözü power station is a 1320 MW operational coal fired power station in Turkey.
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 in Turkey generated a third of the nation's electricity in 2023. There are 55 active coal-fired power stations with a total capacity of 21 gigawatts (GW). In 2023 coal imports for electricity generation cost 3.7 billion USD.
18 Mart Çan power station is a coal-fired power station in Turkey in Çan, which burns lignite mined locally and belongs to the state power company. It was shut down in March 2021 but reopened after a flue-gas desulfurization system was installed at a cost of US$45.9 million.
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. It is estimated that closing the plant by 2030, instead of when its licence ends in 2062, would prevent over 4000 premature deaths.
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.