Turkish and Chinese companies ink $2.4 billion coal-based power plant deal

ISTANBUL

Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yildiz (C), Hattat Holding Chairman Mehmet Hattat (2nd R) and Harbin Electric International (HEI) Project Manager Xu Hongfu (R) pose with coal rocks after a signing ceremony in Istanbul May 10. REUTERS photo

Turkish Hattat Holding and China-based Harbin Electric International signed a deal to build a coal-based power plant in northwestern Turkey on May 10. 

The plant is planned to have a capacity of 2,640 megawatts (MW) in total. Around $2.4 billion will be invested in the project, Hattat Holding Chairman Mehmet Hattat said at the signature ceremony. 
Hattat Holding had been in talks with a number of Chinese, South Korean and Westerns firm to build a new coal-fired thermal power plant in the region for a while. 

The Harbin Electric International Project Director expressed his satisfaction with the deal. “We produce technical equipment that has the capacity to generate 40,000 MW of power annually, and we have power plant projects in more than 20 countries. We are happy about our cooperation with Hattat Holding, and we expect more cooperation with them in the future,” said Xu Hongfu.

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said the agreement showed the attractiveness of Turkey for foreign direct investors. “We are continue our works to get other coal mines online to generate power by speeding up the related tenders,” he said.