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.

The plant was put in the 1974 investment plan to meet national electricity demand and to make use of some of the leftovers of coal preparation in the Zonguldak basin.

As well as being close to the mines, other criteria were the availability of an ash and slag disposal site, the water needed by the power plant, proximity to the electricity consumption centers, and being far from earthquake faults.

[2] The plant was privatised in 2014,[2] it is the largest power station supplied by Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises.

[5] In May 2020 Greenpeace applied to the Health Ministry to request the plant remain closed, saying that the country's air pollution increased the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.