Turkey plans to tender new local coal areas to generate 7.2 gigawatts of capacity in the mid-term, according to recent projections of Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Ministry.
Turkey has already begun a strategy to boost the country's domestic energy resources, including coal and renewables.
In January, the first project in this strategy saw the country offer to tender the Cayirhan B region in Ankara where a local coal power plant with 720 megawatts of capacity is planned.
The power plant, which expects to generate employment for around 2,000, will require an investment of $1.1 billion.
Turkey will continue to open new areas to investors, including Eskisehir-Alpu -- a region in the Central Anatolia, which foresees the construction of a 4 gigawatt coal power plant.
Furthermore, a 1.4 gigawatt local coal plant plans to be installed in Afyon-Dinar in the Central Anatolian region.
Turkey will also tender to the private sector 1,000 and 800 megawatts of coal plants in Tekirdag and Kirklareli respectively for their construction and operation for a period of 30 years.
Turkey's current installed capacity is 78.5 gigawatts in total from which domestic coal generates 9.9 gigawatts.
By Nuran Erkul
Anadolu Agency
nuran.erkul@aa.com.tr