Orhaneli power station

From Global Energy Monitor
Part of the
Global Coal Plant Tracker,
a Global Energy Monitor project.
Download full dataset
Report an error
Related coal trackers:

Orhaneli power station is an operating power station of at least 210-megawatts (MW) in Karıncalı, Orhaneli, Bursa, Türkiye.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Orhaneli power station Karıncalı, Orhaneli, Bursa, Türkiye 39.950224, 28.870214 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the power station.

Loading map...


Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

  • Unit 1: 39.950224, 28.870214

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology Start year
Unit 1 operating coal: lignite 210 subcritical 1992

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name Owner Parent
Unit 1 Çelikler Orhaneli Tunçbilek Elektrik Üretim AŞ [100%] Çelikler Yatırım Holding AŞ

Project-level coal details

  • Coal source(s): Bursa coal mines (Orhaneli)

Background

The 210 MW coal plant is owned by Çelikler Holding[1] and is fuelled by adjacent lignite mines.[2]

Pollution allegations

In February 2018 a local MP asked for pollution complaints to be investigated.[3] In February 2019 the Right to Clean Air Platform-Turkey, a coalition of 17 professional organizations and NGOs, successfully campaigned to stop the Turkish Parliament from delaying proper air pollution filtration system and infrastructure requirements for old privatised coal plants until 2021, including Orhaneli.[4] The delay would have allowed Orhaneli to continue to operate without a modern dust, desulphurization and denitrification system.[5] [6] In November 2019 the Turkish Parliament approved the bill.[7] 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".[8]

As a result, Orhaneli 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.[9] In January 2020 the plant received a "temporary activity certificate" that will allow it to continue operating for six months despite its failure to comply with filtration requirements under Environmental Law 2872.[10] 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.[11] In May 2020 Greenpeace applied to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization to shut down Orhaneli 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.[11][12] A July 2021 report by Climate Change Policy and Research Association found that the plant was still not in compliance with flue gas emissions standards but was continuing to operate as a result of obtaining a Temporary Activity Certificate (GFB).[13]

In August 2023, local residents continued to raise concerns over the "poison" released from Orhaneli power station. The community was reportedly facing high levels of respiratory illness and cancer.[14]

Opposition and impact

In February 2024, workers from Orhaneli power station, Tunçbilek power station, and Seyitömer power station held a march advocating for fair wages.[15]

Articles and Resources

References

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.