Çayırhan power station

Çayırhan power station is a 620 MW operational coal fired power station in Turkey and a proposed 800 MW extension, in Ankara Province.[1] In 2019 land was expropriated for another lignite mine, to feed the new plant, which is being opposed as uneconomic and polluting.[2]

Çayırhan power station
Country
  • Turkey
Coordinates40°05′49″N 31°41′42″E
Owner(s)
Thermal power station
Primary fuel
Power generation
Nameplate capacity
  • 620 MW
External links
Website
  • https://www.euas.gov.tr/tr-TR/santraller/termik-santraller
    • www.parktermik.com/
  • https://www.euas.gov.tr/tr-TR/santraller/termik-santraller
    •  

    History

    In 2017 the government privatized the Çayırhan-B lignite coalfield on condition a coal-fired power plant is built, in the hope that it would be the first of a wave of similar deals for various lignite coalfields around the country.[3]

    Ownership

    The project is a joint venture between Kolin, Kalyon and Çelikler.[4]

    Finance

    The cost of the extension is estimated at $1.1-billion.[4]

    Subsidies

    The government is giving a 15-year purchase guarantee.[4]

    Economics

    The winning consortium bid $60.4 per megawatt, but according to opponents of the extension expanding Turkey's solar power would save taxpayers money in the long term.[2]

    Employment

    The company says it will employ 500 people in the plant and 1,500 for coal mining.[4]

    Coal supply
    See also: Coal in Turkey

    As Turkish lignite is heavy compared to its energy content coal must be sourced locally. Coalfields in Ankara province include Beypazarı-Çayırhan, Gölbaşı-Karagedik, Gölbaşı-Bahçeköy, Ayaş-Kayıbucak and Şereflikoçhisar.[3]

    Electricity generation
    See also: Electricity sector in Turkey

    Environmental Impact

    Despite the environmental impact assessment having been approved opponents of the extension claim the environment will be damaged.

    Dust

    As of 2020 the plant is operating with inadequate dust filters[5] and Turkey has no legal limit on ambient fine particules (PM2.5). Opponents claim that Nallıhan bird sanctuary, 6 km away, could be damaged.[2]

    Sulfur Dioxide

    As of 2020 the plant is operating with inadequate sulfur treatment,[6][5] and the area is a sulfur dioxide air pollution hotspot[7]

    Nitrogen oxides

    As of 2020 the plant is operating without sufficient NOx filtering.[5]

    Greenhouse gases

    After extension the power station would contribute an estimated 4 megatonnes (Mt) a year to Turkey's greenhouse gas emissions.[2] As Turkey has no carbon emission trading it would not be economically viable to capture and store the gas.[8]

    Opposition

    The Chamber of Mechanical Engineers has questioned why the existing plant was granted a 2020 operating license without meeting air pollution standards.[5] Opponents include Ankara 350.org and singer Tarkan.[2]

    See also

    References
    1. "EMBA Electricity Production Co. Inc". EMBA Elektrik Üretim A.Ş. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
    2. "Çevrecilerin karşı çıktığı proje için 'acele kamulaştırma' kararı". Gazete Duvar. 16 April 2019.
    3. "Ankara". Coal in Turkey. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
    4. "$1.1 billion investment planned in coal plant". Daily Sabah. 7 February 2017.
    5. "MMO Başkanı, Termik Santraller İle İlgili Bir Basın Açıklaması Yaptı". Enerji Portalı (in Turkish). 24 January 2020.
    6. Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Baskı sonuç verdi: Filtresiz termik santrallere izin çıkmadı | DW | 15.02.2019". DW.COM (in Turkish). Retrieved 2019-09-04.
    7. "Global SO2 emission hotspot database" (PDF). Greenpeace. August 2019.
    8. Esmaeili, Danial (June 2018). Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage in the Context of Turkish Energy Market (PDF). Sabancı University.
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