Soma power station

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Soma power station is an operating power station of at least 990-megawatts (MW) in Soma, Manisa, Türkiye. It is also known as Soma B.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name	Location	Coordinates (WGS 84)
Soma power station	Soma, Soma, Manisa, Türkiye	39.194462, 27.635204 (exact)

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

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

• Phase B Unit 1, Phase B Unit 2, Phase B Unit 3, Phase B Unit 4, Phase B Unit 5, Phase B Unit 6: 39.194462, 27.635204

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name	Status	Fuel(s)	Capacity (MW)	Technology	Start year
Phase B Unit 1	operating	coal: lignite	165	subcritical	1981
Phase B Unit 2	operating	coal: lignite	165	subcritical	1982
Phase B Unit 3	operating	coal: lignite	165	subcritical	1985
Phase B Unit 4	operating	coal: lignite	165	subcritical	1986
Phase B Unit 5	operating	coal: lignite	165	subcritical	1991
Phase B Unit 6	operating	coal: lignite	165	subcritical	1992

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name	Owner	Parent
Phase B Unit 1	Soma Termik Santral Elektrik Uretim AŞ [100%]	Anadolu Birlik Holding AŞ [54.4%]
Phase B Unit 2	Soma Termik Santral Elektrik Uretim AŞ [100%]	Anadolu Birlik Holding AŞ [54.4%]
Phase B Unit 3	Soma Termik Santral Elektrik Uretim AŞ [100%]	Anadolu Birlik Holding AŞ [54.4%]
Phase B Unit 4	Soma Termik Santral Elektrik Uretim AŞ [100%]	Anadolu Birlik Holding AŞ [54.4%]
Phase B Unit 5	Soma Termik Santral Elektrik Uretim AŞ [100%]	Anadolu Birlik Holding AŞ [54.4%]
Phase B Unit 6	Soma Termik Santral Elektrik Uretim AŞ [100%]	Anadolu Birlik Holding AŞ [54.4%]

Project-level coal details

• Coal source(s): Aegean lignite mines (Soma, Denis)

Background

The six 165-MW coal-fired units of the plant were completed between 1981 and 1992. Lignite for the plant is supplied by Ege Linyitleri İşletmesi. The plant has been owned by Konya Şeker Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. since 2015.

Soma power station reportedly operated significantly below its maximum production levels in 2023.

In May 2024, Soma power station was described as being in a "sale phase", and employees of the power station and the associated mine were concerned about management decisions and employment stability.

As of November 2024, the company was facing bankruptcy, and local officials were concerned about the power station's need for uncompleted maintenance.

Capacity Payments

In 2018, the company was paid millions of lira by the government in support of its coal-fired plant via the capacity mechanism.

Impact and opposition

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. The delay would have allowed Soma to continue to operate without a desulphurization system or modernised dust filters.

In January 2020, two units of the plant were closed under Environmental Law 2872 for failing to install a more effective air filtration system, in addition to five plants that were entirely closed: Afşin-Elbistan A, Kütahya Seyitömer, Tunçbilek Çelikler, Sivas Kangal and Zonguldak Çatalağzı. As of June 2021 Unit 2 had resumed operating having installed a new air filtration system. According to CAN Europe Units 1 had resumed operating as of December 2021.

In November 2023, a Manisa Deputy politician stated that 39,000 people had died from cancer associated with pollution from Soma power station. He also alleged that a series of work accidents and fires had occurred at the power station, and the flue duct filters posed a serious risk of causing an explosion.

In February 2024, a malfunction at Soma power station caused a heating problem in Manisa. The power station was reportedly penalized for the incident.

In August 2024, Soma power station workers held a sit-in protest, demanding improved working conditions. A 15% raise was reportedly given only to the power station's non-unionized workers.

In December 2024, Manisa politicians joined together in opposition of air pollution from Soma power station. The mayor of Soma stated: "The thermal power plant wants us to make a choice: You will either be warm or you will be poisoned" (Google translate). While they had fought in the past to prevent the plant from closing, he said that they would no longer support the power station as long as it did not fulfill its environmental obligations.

Articles and Resources

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.