Sabah – Saudi energy company ACWA Power International has signed a memorandum of understanding with Türkiye’s Electricity Generation Company (EUAS) to develop coal reserves in the country’s Central Anatolian province of Konya.
The preliminary agreement covers the technical feasibility studies for developing the Karapinar coal fields, estimated to hold 1.8 billion tons of coal, the country’s second largest after Afsin-Elbistan in Southeastern Anatolia.
The cost of developing and generating power from the Karapinar coal fields necessitates an investment of USD 7-8 billion. The site could power coal-fired plants with an output of up to 5,000 MW.
The Saudi company is also a partner in an 800-MW gas-fired power plant project in Kirikkale in Central Anatolia.
By turning to its domestic sources, both fossil and renewable, Türkiye aims to lower its dependency on costly imported fuels.
The country plans for 120,000 MW of installed capacity in 2023, double that of today’s 60,000 MW.