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Çan (18 Mart) power station (18 Mart Çan Termik Santrali) is an operating power station of at least 320-megawatts (MW) in Yaya, Çan, Çanakkale, Türkiye.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Çan (18 Mart) power station | Yaya, Çan, Çanakkale, Türkiye | 40.02324, 26.976837 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2: 40.02324, 26.976837
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | operating | coal: lignite | 160 | subcritical | 2003 |
| Unit 2 | operating | coal: lignite | 160 | subcritical | 2003 |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Electricity Generation Company (Türkiye) AŞ [100%] | Electricity Generation Company (Türkiye) AŞ [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Electricity Generation Company (Türkiye) AŞ [100%] | Electricity Generation Company (Türkiye) AŞ [100.0%] |
Background
The coal plant consısts of two 160 MW units,[1] The construction of the plant started in 2000, and it has been operational since 2006. The plant is owned and operated by EÜAŞ.[2]
Environmental and Social Impact
In February 2019 the Right to Clean Air Platform, a coalition of 17 professional organizations and NGOs, successfully campaigned to stop the Turkish Parliament from delaying stronger air pollution requirements for old coal plants from 2019 until 2021.[3] The delay would have allowed Çan-1 to continue to operate without a desulphurization system or modernised dust filters.[4] In January 2020 it was reported that the plant was in compliance with Environmental Law 2872 and would be allowed to continue operating.[5] As of May 2020 the plant was operating with a "temporary activity certificate" that will allow it to continue operating until January 2021 despite its failure to comply with filtration requirements under Environmental Law 2872.[6] In May 2020 Greenpeace applied to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization to shut down Çan-1 and eight other plants not in compliance with Environmental Law 2872 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the correlation between fine particulate pollution and higher mortality rates from Covid-19.[6][7]
In September 2020 EÜAŞ signed a contract to install a wet flue gas desulphurization system that would reduce the plant's emissions of sulfur dioxide.[8] A July 2021 report by Climate Change Policy and Research Association found that the plant was not in compliance with flue gas emissions standards when its Temporary Operating Certificat (GHB) expired in March 2021.[9]
In March 2022, the plant was criticized for arbitrarily firing 5 station employees without notice or reason. It was noted that the job market in Çanakkale was relatively weak, and that the terminations, which occurred over email, were unjust.[10]
In December 2022, a news story highlighted the detrimental impacts that the Çan (18 Mart) power station and Çan-2 power station were having on the local community: "When I come home in the evening, my shoes are covered with ash. You take them off, ash scatters, you wash your hands, mud flows. You hang the laundry, it's all black (Google translate)." According to the Çan Environment Association, pollution from the plants had devastated the soil, air and water. They also claimed that the population "all" had chronic respiratory illness and were forced to either migrate or utilize breathing machines for children. For the workers of the power stations, conditions were poor, shifts were up to 12 hours long and inspections were not conducted consistently.[11]
In January 2023, the recently-elected Çanakkale IYI Party Member of Parliament added questions regarding the harm caused by 18 Mart and other thermal power plants to the assembly agenda. Specifically, he posed questions about water quality, particulate matter, power station inspections, and impacts on agriculture. He stated (Google translate): "Our concerns about these situations that threaten the health of our people and the sustainability of the natural environment are increasing day by day. We request the support of the Parliament to discuss these situations that affect the quality of life of our people, to take the necessary measures and to offer solutions. However, a comprehensive research on the environmental effects of thermal power plants and effective measures should be taken in line with the findings. It is important to inform our people about this issue, to include them in the participation processes and to protect their right to live in a healthy environment."[12]
In January 2024, a İklim Değişikliği Politika ve Araştırma Derneği (Climate Change Policy and Research Association) study stated that elevated levels of heavy metals were found at Çan (18 Mart) power station. Particulate matter levels reportedly exceeded the limits set by EU and the World Health Organization for at least 24 days in a month.[13]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 2*160 MW ÇAN TERMİK SANTRALİ, ALSON ENEJİ VE İMAR A.Ş., accessed Jan. 2018.
- ↑ Türkiye'ye Güç Veriyoruz: 2019 Faaliyet Raporu . Elektrik Üretim Anonim Şirketi. Report.
- ↑ Step forward for health protection in Turkey: Proposal to extend the pollution exemptions given to privatised coal power plants withdrawn, Health And Environment Alliance, Feb. 15, 2019
- ↑ Turkish Parliament will vote about polluting coal power plants next week, Health And Environment Alliance, Feb. 1, 2019
- ↑ Anasayfa Gündem Haberleri Bakan Kurum'dan Bursa'yı da ilgilendiren termik santral açıklaması, Bursa Hakimiyet, Jan. 1, 2020
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Koronavirüs döneminde filtresiz termik santraller kapatılmalı, Cumhuriyet, May 22, 2020
- ↑ Isabelle Garretsen, How air pollution exacerbates Covid-19 BBC, Apr. 27, 2020
- ↑ [EÜAŞ, 18 Mart Çan Termik Santrali İçin Sözleşme İmzaladı, Enerji Portali, Sep. 17, 2020
- ↑ Kömürlü termik santralleri çevreyi ve havayı kirletmeye devam ediyor, Sozcu, Jul. 7, 2021
- ↑ Enerji ve Tabii Kaynaklar Bakanı ile EÜAŞ Genel Müdürü kime hizmet ediyor?, Isci Haber, March 11, 2022
- ↑ Çan'daki termik santrallerin halk sağlığına etkisi: "Hasta Otobüsü", Bianet, December 2, 2022
- ↑ Çan Termik Santralleri TBMM Gündeminde..", Canakkale Aynali Pazar, June 28, 2023
- ↑ "Termik santraldan ağır metal salınıyor", BirGün, March 18, 2024
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
