Privatization fiasco

990 The Soma Thermal Power Plant in Manisa, which meets the electrical energy needs of more than 1 million people with its installed capacity of 100 megawatt-hours and whose history dates back to 1984, was in danger of closure after privatization.

Konya Şeker, which won the power plant tender for $685.5 million in 2015, wants to sell the Soma Thermal Power Plant, saying "energy is not our business," and employees may be left unemployed.

'MUST BE EXPROPRIATED'

Despite all the outcry, less than a year after the Soma mining disaster in which 301 miners lost their lives, the privatized Soma Thermal Power Plant reportedly ceased operations. Sadettin İnan, a columnist for the news site who brought the plant, which had been profitable until the privatization process, claimed that electricity production had dropped from six units to two, and that the turbines had filled with water due to a lack of regular maintenance. He stated, "If you deliberately tried to sink a thermal power plant, you could only achieve this much 'success.'" As an example of poor management, İnan stated, "The panel that burned in Unit 5 could have been repaired for 10 million lira, but it was repaired by a pro-government company for 1.25 million euros. And what's more, that panel burned again."

CHP Manisa Deputy Ahmet Vehbi Bakırlıoğlu emphasized that the solution is nationalization, saying, "We understand that the power plant's debt to the Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKİ) exceeds 10.3 billion lira. Recent news also indicates that it has initiated seizure proceedings and halted coal supplies. It seems inevitable that TKİ will repurchase and nationalize this facility."

There were protests against the privatization of the power plant in Manisa.

"Activities have been halted and employees have been placed on paid leave."

Last week, İrfan Kabaloğlu, President of the Turkish Energy, Water and Gas Workers' Union, announced that power plant operations had been halted and that employees would first be placed on paid leave and then on unpaid leave starting July 12. Nurettin Akçul, President of the Turkish Miners' Union, also noted that the cessation of operations at the Soma thermal power plant could leave thousands of coal mining workers unemployed.

Farmers will be left with a debt of 8 billion TL

Sadettin İnan wrote that the thermal power plant's value is 10 billion lira, and Konya Şeker's debt to the Turkish Coal Enterprises is 18 billion lira, assessing that, "Even if Konya Şeker transfers it for free, the power plant will leave farmers with an 8 billion lira debt." In his article, İnan stated that the power plant is not operating because the Turkish Coal Enterprises is not providing coal due to debts, and claimed that the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources is seeking to transfer the Soma Thermal Power Plant to a consortium of mining companies in the region or another firm.