Kemerköy power station
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Kemerköy power station is an operating power station of at least 630-megawatts (MW) in Türkevleri, Milas, Muğla, Türkiye. It is also known as Kemerkoy power station.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Kemerköy power station | Türkevleri, Milas, Muğla, Türkiye | 37.035362, 27.900592 (exact) |
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3: 37.035362, 27.900592
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Operating | coal: lignite | 210 | subcritical | 1994 |
| Unit 2 | Operating | coal: lignite | 210 | subcritical | 1994 |
| Unit 3 | Operating | coal: lignite | 210 | subcritical | 1995 |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Yenikoy Kemerkoy Elektrik Uretim Ve Ticaret AŞ [100%] | IC Holding [50.0%]; Limak Holding AŞ [50.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Yenikoy Kemerkoy Elektrik Uretim Ve Ticaret AŞ [100%] | IC Holding [50.0%]; Limak Holding AŞ [50.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Yenikoy Kemerkoy Elektrik Uretim Ve Ticaret AŞ [100%] | IC Holding [50.0%]; Limak Holding AŞ [50.0%] |
Project-level coal details
- Coal source(s): Kemerköy mines (Hüsamlar, Çakıralan, Belentepe)
Financing
- Source of financing: İş Bankası, Ziraat, Garanti
Background
The three 210 MW coal-fired units of the Kemerköy mine-to-mouth coal-fired power plant were commissioned between 1994 and 1995. The construction of the plant took place between June 1984 and August 1993. The 1st and 2nd units became operational in 1994 and the 3rd unit became operational in 1995. Coal for the plant comes from an adjacent lignite mine. The plant has been owned by IC İÇTAŞ Energy – LİMAK Energy since 2014.[1] The power station was operated by Yeniköy Kemerköy Elektrik.[2]
The power station was reportedly financed by İş Bankası, Ziraat, and Garanti.[3]
Kemerköy was among three plants - along with Yatağan power station and Yeniköy power station - planned for rehabilitation in Muğla province, to extend the life of the plants by up to 30 years. Many residents opposed the rehabilitation.[4]
In June 2023, it was stated that domestic coal, specifically Kemerköy power station, would remain in critical use in the future.[5]
In August 2023, İkizköy residents made a press statement and applied to the Presidency for the immediate closure of Kemerköy, Yatağan and Yeniköy power stations. They stated that the power stations had been operating unconstitutionally since 1996.[6] In February 2024, a petition with 18,000 signatures, which again advocated for the closure of the three power stations, was sent to the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.[7]
In March 2025, the mayor of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality stated that issues were ongoing at the Kemerköy, Yatağan, and Yeniköy power stations, and concerns remained about their impact on society, agriculture, and the environment. He indicated that a "coal-free Muğla" policy by 2030 was in development, but the target was in opposition to the desires of the power station workers in attendance at the meeting.[8]
Environmental litigation
As of May 2024, a lawsuit filed against the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change would be held on June 3, 2024. The claim stated that YK Enerji was operating Kemerköy power station illegally because of noncompliance with environmental legislation.[9] Following the hearing, a decision was expected within 15 days.[10]
In July 2024, the lawsuit was rejected by the court.[11]
In March 2025, a higher court overturned the July 2024 decision, ordering the Muğla 2nd Administrative Court to conduct a technical and legal reevaluation.[12]
In late March 2025, a separate case was reportedly filed with the Constitutional Court.[13]
Solar installation
In October 2022, it was announced that a 26 MW solar project would be developed on the site of the Kemerköy power station.[14] The public environmental impact assessment meeting for the solar project was protested by the local community. They argued that it was a move by the company to extend the life of the coal plant.[15]
As of April 2025, YK Enerji had reportedly applied to the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change for an additional 12,096 solar panels to provide additional capacity at Kemerköy power station.[16]
Environmental 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 some old coal plants from 2019 until 2021.[17] The delay would have allowed Yatağan to continue to operate without a desulphurization system or modernised dust filters.[18] In November 2019 the Turkish Parliament approved a bill to extend the deadline for stronger emissions standards to 2021.[19] However on Dec. 2, 2019 President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan vetoed the bill and said this veto was motivated by "environmental sensitivity".[20]
As a result, Kemerköy and other privatised coal power plants that have not completed the required infrastructure including filtration system must complete these requirements beginning Jan. 1, 2020 or these plants will face closure and/or fines.[21] In January 2020 it was reported that the plant was in compliance with Environmental Law 2872 and would be allowed to continue operating.[22]
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.[23] In May 2020 Greenpeace applied to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization to shut down Kemerköy 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.[23][24]
In January 2023, a report titled "Social and Ecological Destruction Caused by Thermal Power Plants in Muğla" (Google translate) advocated for the power station to be closed as soon as possible. The report discussed wetland destruction, water pollution, air pollution, impacts of particulate matter, premature deaths, agricultural productivity, forced migration, and employment alternatives.[25]
In February 2023, 100 Muğla residents protested the power station, stating that it "destroyed life" (Google translate) in the region. The group released a joint press statement, highlighting concerns for agriculture, forest health, biodiversity and water quality.[26] However, some residents appeared to advocate for the power station to remain open, citing employment concerns and claiming that the power station did not damage the environment.[27]
In March 2023, another press statement from a coalition of Turkish environmental groups stated (Google translate): "Let's change the system, not the climate". They claimed that 37 villages were under threat of extinction due to impacts from surrounding power stations.[28]
In April 2025, nearby residents stated that a thick, black smoked had been seen billowing from a small chimney at Kemerköy power station. They alleged that the color could indicate the absence of operating smoke filtration systems.[29]
Controversy around coal mine to supply the plant
There were two lawsuits filed in opposition to a lignite coal mine being developed in the Akbelen Forest. The mine would supply the Kemerköy power station. According to an association of archeologists, there were 880 protected areas within the pollutant impact area. Villagers and activists in the area stood strongly in opposition to the development.[30] In March 2022, the expert discovery phase was presented to the Muğla 1st Administrative Court. Several academics highlighted the economic, social and environmental risks of the project. However, others argued that the coal supply was necessary and outweighed the negative impacts.[31]
As of August 2023, the litigation was ongoing. A lawyer representing the community and the Akbelen Forest stated (Google translate): "I still claim that we will win this case. If we cannot win in the Muğla Administrative Court, we will win in the Izmir Regional Administrative Court. If it is rejected, we will win in the Council of State. If we cannot win in the Council of State, we will win in the Constitutional Court, and if we cannot win in the Constitutional Court, we will win in the European Human Rights Court. We will win in court. Because we are faced with an event that will destroy all legal rules considering the current state of environmental law and humanity".[32]
On March 14, 2024, the Turkish government cancelled a March 12 decision by the General Directorate of Mining and Petroleum Affairs to expropriate more than 20,000 hectares of land to cater for the expansion of the lignite mine. Ahead of a mayoral election at the end of March, a mayoral candidate for Muğla from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) announced the policy reversal after he spoke to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.[33]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ Kemerköy Thermal Plant, company website, retrieved Jan. 2018.
- ↑ "YENİKÖY KEMERKÖY," company website, accessed June 2018
- ↑ "Coal & Climate Change - 2017," Önder Algedik, Aug 2017
- ↑ "The Real Costs of Coal: Muğla," CAN Europe, July 2019
- ↑ "EÜD Başkanı'ndan 'termik santral' açıklaması," umke.org, June 10, 2023
- ↑ "Muğla’daki 3 Termik Santralın Kapatılması için Cumhurbaşkanlığı’na Başvuruldu," Iklim Haber, August 25, 2023
- ↑ "Termik Santraller Kapatılsın kampanyasında 18 bin 24 imza bakanlıklara gönderildi," muğla devrim, February 28, 2024
- ↑ "Muğla'da termik santral işçileri ile Belediye Başkanı Ahmet Aras arasında gergin görüşme," Anka Haber Ajansi, March 14, 2025
- ↑ "Kemerköy Termik Santrali’nin çevre izni davasında kritik duruşma," Yeşil Gazete, May 29, 2024
- ↑ "Kemerköy termik santralinin çevre izni davası görüldü: Ya iptal ya da bilirkişi!," Yeşil Gazete, June 4, 2024
- ↑ "Kemerköy Termik Santrali’nin kapatılması için açılan dava reddedildi," Gündem Fethiye, July 8, 2024
- ↑ "İzmir Bölge İdare Mahkemesi, Kemerköy Termik Santrali davasında dosyanın yeniden değerlendirilmesine karar verdi," Cumhuriyet, March 15, 2025
- ↑ "Termik bizi öldürüyor, durdurun," Sözcü, March 30, 2025
- ↑ "Kemerköy Termik Santrali’nde güneş elektriği kullanılacak," Enerji Gunlugu, October 1, 2022
- ↑ "İkizköylüler güneş enerjisi santrali ÇED toplantısını protesto etti," Evrensel, October 19, 2022
- ↑ "YK Enerji köyü yok etti, şimdi de termik santral için GES’i büyütecek: Hız kesmeden devam!," Cumhuriyet, April 22, 2025
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 50’inci madde kabul edildi, Yeşil Ekonomi, 22 Nov. 2019
- ↑ Erdoğan Vetoes Bill Postponing Installation of Filters to Coal-Fired Plants, Bianet, December 2, 2019.
- ↑ TBMM Plan Ve Bütçe Komisyonu, Santrallere Filtre Düzenlemesini Yeniden Görüştü, Meclis Haber, 4 December 2019.
- ↑ Anasayfa Gündem Haberleri Bakan Kurum'dan Bursa'yı da ilgilendiren termik santral açıklaması, Bursa Hakimiyet, January 1, 2020
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Koronavirüs döneminde filtresiz termik santraller kapatılmalı, Cumhuriyet, May 22, 2020
- ↑ Isabelle Garretsen, How air pollution exacerbates Covid-19 BBC, April 27, 2020
- ↑ Muğla'da 'Termik Santraller' raporu: Termik santralleri bir an önce kapatılmalı Evrensel, January 18, 2023
- ↑ Milaslılardan Yeniköy Kemerköy Termik Santralleri’ne çok sert kınama Anter Haber, Feb. 1, 2023
- ↑ Milaslı muhtarlardan 'Yeniköy Kemerköy santralleri kapatılmasın' açıklaması Hürriyet, January 13, 2023
- ↑ Muğla’da çevreciler: Termik santraller nedeniyle 37 köy yok olma tehdidi altında T24, March 11, 2023
- ↑ Milas Kemerköy Santrali'nden çıkan siyah duman çevre kirliliği endişesi yarattı Karya Haber, April 1, 2025
- ↑ Akbelen’de Mücadeleye Devam: ‘Kömür Termik Santralleri İstemiyoruz’ Sivil Sayfalar, August 20, 2021
- ↑ Akbelen'de bilirkişi raporu: İki uzman doğa talanına rağmen 'kömür' dedi Gazete Duvar, May 29, 2022
- ↑ Yeniköy ve Kemerköy santrallerinin bedelini kim ödüyor? Deutsche Welle, August 4, 2023
- ↑ "Decision to set mining zone near Akbelen Forest canceled," Hürriyet Daily News, March 16, 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.
