Seyitömer power station

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Seyitömer power station is an operating power station of at least 600-megawatts (MW) in Seyitömer, Kütahya, Türkiye.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Seyitömer power station Seyitömer, Kütahya, Kütahya, Türkiye 39.572967, 29.88164 (exact)

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

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

  • Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4: 39.572967, 29.88164

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology Start year
Unit 1 operating coal: lignite 150 subcritical 1973
Unit 2 operating coal: lignite 150 subcritical 1974
Unit 3 operating coal: lignite 150 subcritical 1977
Unit 4 operating coal: lignite 150 subcritical 1989

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name Owner Parent
Unit 1 Çelikler Seyitömer Elektrik Üretim AŞ [100%] Çelikler Seyitömer Elektrik Üretim AŞ [100.0%]
Unit 2 Çelikler Seyitömer Elektrik Üretim AŞ [100%] Çelikler Seyitömer Elektrik Üretim AŞ [100.0%]
Unit 3 Çelikler Seyitömer Elektrik Üretim AŞ [100%] Çelikler Seyitömer Elektrik Üretim AŞ [100.0%]
Unit 4 Çelikler Seyitömer Elektrik Üretim AŞ [100%] Çelikler Seyitömer Elektrik Üretim AŞ [100.0%]

Background

The four units of the 600-MW Seyitömer coal-fired power station were opened between 1973 and 1989. In early 2013 Turkey's Privatization Authority sold the operating rights of the plant for $2.25 billion to the Turkish company Çelikler Insaat.[1][2][3]

The power station's sponsor was Çelikler Seyitömer Elektrik Üretim A.Ş.[4] The power station was designed with subcritical technology.[5]

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 old coal plants from 2019 until 2021.[6] The delay would have allowed Seyitömer to continue to operate without a desulphurization system or modernised dust filters.[7] In November 2019 the Turkish Parliament approved a bill to extend the deadline for stronger emissions standards to 2021.[8] 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".[9]

As a result, Seyitömer 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.[10] In January 2020 Seyitömer was one of five plants closed by the government under Environmental Law 2872 for failing to install a more effective air filtration system. The other closed plants were Afşin-Elbistan A, Kütahya Tunçbilek, Sivas Kangal and Zonguldak Çatalağzı.[11] In May 2020 the plant installed a flue gas treatment system that it claimed was in compliance with Environmental Law 2872, and applied to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization for permission to reopen.[12] In June 2020 two of the plant's four units were declared in compliance with the new filter requirement and were cleared to resume operating with a one-year temporary license.[13] In August 2020 Unit 3 was found to be in compliance with the filter requirement and resumed operating.[14] As of June 2021 Unit 4 had resumed operating having installed a new air filtration system.[15] A July 2021 report by Climate Change Policy and Research Association found that the plant's Temporary Activity Certificate (GFB) did not include a landfill license.[16]

In 2022, the company announced that the implementation of new flue gas treatment and filtration systems had been completed.[17] In the same statement, Çelikler Holding noted the environmental impact of the plant and their intention to remain in operation.[18]

Incidents and accidents

In April 2014, 11 people were injured after police used tear gas against a workers protesting layoffs at the newly-privatized plant, and 20 workers were arrested.[19][20]

In August 2022, a circulation pump fell during loading, killing one worker and seriously injuring another.[21]

Financing

The power station was originally financed by Iş Bankası, Vakıfbank, Halkbank, Ziraat, and Deniz Bank.[22]

In 2021, the power station was refinanced for US$1.35 billion in loans by Deniz Bank, GarantiBank, Isbank, Halkbank, Ziraat, and Vakifbank.[23]

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.[24]

In July 2024, approximately 800 workers from Seyitömer power station again held a strike advocating for fair wages. Reporting following the action alleged that employees were then prevented from leaving the facility and illegally forced to work.[25]

Articles and Resources

References

  1. "Turkey Sells 600-Megawatt Seyitomer Lignite-Fired Plant for $2.25 Billion", Industrial Info Europe, January 3, 2013.
  2. Seyitömer 47 turda 2.2 milyar $'a özelleşti, Milliyet, Dec. 29, 2012.
  3. Seyitömer Termik Santralı'nın özelleştirilmesi ve diğerleri, Enerji Energy, Jan. 6, 2013.
  4. "Çelikler Seyitömer," Çelikler Holding website, accessed June 2018
  5. "World Electric Power Plants Database,", Platts, December 2013. The database is not available online but can be purchased from Platts.
  6. 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
  7. Turkish Parliament will vote about polluting coal power plants next week, Health And Environment Alliance, Feb. 1, 2019
  8. 50’inci madde kabul edildi, Yeşil Ekonomi, 22 Nov. 2019
  9. Erdoğan Vetoes Bill Postponing Installation of Filters to Coal-Fired Plants, Bianet, 02 December 2019.
  10. TBMM Plan Ve Bütçe Komisyonu, Santrallere Filtre Düzenlemesini Yeniden Görüştü, Meclis Haber, 4 December 2019.
  11. 5 thermal power plants that did not install filters and did not take flue gas treatment measures were completely closed, BBC, Jan. 2, 2020
  12. Bacalar milli ekonomi için temiz tütmeye hazır, Sabah, May 18, 2020
  13. Son dakika... Bakan Kurum'dan termik santral açıklaması, Hurriyet, Jun. 8, 2020
  14. Seyitömer Termik Santrali'nin üçüncü ünitesi de devreye alındı, Dunya, Sep. 1, 2020
  15. Seffaflik Platformu, Exist, accessed July 2021
  16. Kömürlü termik santralleri çevreyi ve havayı kirletmeye devam ediyor, Sozcu, Jul. 7, 2021
  17. Seyitömer Termik Santrali Yeni Baca Gazı ve Filtreleme Sistemi Faaliyet Geçti, Madencilik Turkiye, June 15, 2022
  18. Seyitömer ve Tunçbilek termik santrallerinde çevre yatırımları tamamlandı, Sirket Haberleri, February 24, 2022
  19. Seyitömer Santrali Eyleminde 20 İşçi Gözaltında, Haberler, Apr. 22, 2014.
  20. Kütahya Seyitömer Termik Santrali'ndeki olaylar, TimeTurk, Apr. 22, 2014.
  21. Termik santralde pompanın altında kaldı! Trajik iş kazası can aldı!, Yeni Asir, August 23, 2022
  22. "Coal & Climate Change - 2017 (page 15)" (PDF). https://www.onderalgedik.com/. 2017. Retrieved March 2023 via the Wayback Machine. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); External link in |website= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. "Seyitomer Thermal Power Plant (600MW) Refinancing 2021". /www.ijglobal.com. November 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. Kütahya'da termik santral işçileri eylem yaptı, Sonhaber, February 19, 2024
  25. Seyitömer Termik Santrali’nde iş bırakma eylemi: İçerideki işçiler zorla çalıştırılıyor, Yeşil Gazete, July 4, 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.