Afşin-Elbistan power stations
Power station air pollution, such as sulfur dioxide,[1] is trapped by surrounding mountains,[2] and Greenpeace alleges that levels of particulates and nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere have exceeded legal limits.
[3] The Environment Ministry has not released flue gas measurements,[3] and there is no recent public data from the nearest air quality monitor.
[7] This is the only proposal for new unabated coal power in the OECD,[8] and Human Rights Watch said that it conflicts with Turkey's bid to host the 2026 climate change conference.
The National Energy Plan published in 2023 forecast that 1.7 GW more local coal power would be connected to the grid by 2030, but did not give whereabouts.
[13] As of 2023, an official health impact assessment has not been done in Turkey,[5]: 50 but opponents of the expansion estimate that the extra air pollution could lead to an additional 1900 premature deaths.
At the time it was built solar and wind energy was extremely expensive and significant natural gas reserves had yet to be discovered in the country.
[26] Local MP, Sefer Aycan, said in parliament that he was concerned the plant would add to the industrial pollution of the Aksu and Ceyhan rivers.
[29] According to energy analyst Haluk Direskeneli, writing in 2019, FGD was not installed and electrostatic precipitation was inadequate, and "it is futile to repair this power plant".
[32] The plant reopened but complaints of air pollution continued,[33] and in October 2021, it was said by opposition MP Ali Öztunç to be still operating without filters due to company lobbying.
[35] In 2022, a study found levels of chromium and nickel in the soil exceeding regulations[36] and the Climate Change Policy and Research Association alleged that the plant was operating illegally according to environmental laws.
[41] Afşin-Elbistan B is a 1440MW coal-fired power station in Afşin in Kahramanmaraş Province, state owned by the Electricity Generation Company (EUAŞ).
[54] Estimated to cost 17.3 billion lira (2,470,000 USD), and had a planned capacity of 11 TWh per year (about 3% of Turkey's annual power generation).
The largest operating lignite mine in Turkey,[74] it is open pit and can produce 7 million tonnes a year,[75] which feeds the Afşin-Elbistan power stations.
[4] The Health and Environment Alliance estimate that phasing out coal by 2030, instead of when the A and B power plant licences end in 2038 and 2052 respectively, would prevent over 2000 premature deaths.
Verus Partners advised on finance,[88] but despite low production costs,[89] the private sector was not interested, as the coal is low-quality.
The TWF claimed the plant would have an economic life of 35 years,[90] create "serious employment",[32] and Vice President Fuat Oktay said in 2020 that it would reduce the current account deficit.
[103] Environmental and public health groups criticised the proposed C plant EIA for describing coal as clean energy[104] and, in February 2020, thousands of people filed petitions against its approval.
[106] In 2021, an expert report commissioned by the Maraş Regional Administrative Court said that the EIA positive decision given to Afşin-Elbistan C was faulty as it failed to accurately assess the project's environmental pollution and impact on agricultural activities, water basins and human health.
[107] Environmental group TEMA Foundation said, as Turkey had recently ratified the Paris Agreement to limit climate change, the plans to build the C plant should be immediately abandoned.
[110] According to a 2020 survey from nearby Kahramanmaraş Sütçüimam University, most locals say they have chronic illness, and almost all believe that environmental protection measures taken by power plant managers are insufficient.
[111] Opponents of the plants say that: "a significant portion of the people living in Afşin Elbistan are struggling with cancer or respiratory tract diseases.
