Turkey ‘aims to hold tenders for at least five coal mines in 2018’

ISTANBUL - Reuters

Turkey is looking to hold tenders for at least five coal mines this year including one with 136 million tons of reserves, Turkish Deputy Energy Undersecretary Zafer Benli told Reuters on April 10.

Speaking on the sidelines of an energy technology summit, Benli said the first tender will be held in June for the Armutçuk coal mine in the northwestern province of Zonguldak, which has up to 20 million tons of coal reserves.

“We will also open a mine with 136 million tons coal reserves for investment,” Benli said.

“We aim to hold tenders for at least five coal mines this year,” he added.

The tenders will be held through a license-transfer method.

Following Armutçuk, the second coal mine to be auctioned will be the mine in the western district of Soma, Benli said, adding that the current contract for this mine would first be abolished and the tender would then be undertaken by means of the contract transfer.