China and Turkey in talks over US$12 billion coal investment
Turkey and China are in talks on a US$10 billion to US$12 billion investment deal for the Afsin-Elbistan coalfield and power plant project in southern Turkey, said Turkish energy minister Taner Yildiz.
Turkey and China are in talks on a US$10 billion to US$12 billion investment deal for the Afsin-Elbistan coalfield and power plant project in southern Turkey, said Turkish energy minister Taner Yildiz.
Turkey is keen to make the most of its coal resources to reduce the country's imports of natural gas and signed a deal with Abu Dhabi National Energy on the project in January last year.
However, Taqa said in August that it was delaying investment and Turkey subsequently began talks with other companies.
"There will be an investment of US$10 billion to US$12 billion in the Afsin-Elbistan field," Yildiz said on Sunday. "This will include use of the coalfields. We are in talks with China for a deal on this subject."
This is a big project. We have to set up the [coal]field project correctly
It was not possible to say when any deal with China might be signed, he said.
The Afsin-Elbistan region holds up to 45 per cent of Turkey's lignite reserves and the project includes the construction of a 8,000 megawatt coal-fired power plant.