September 4, 2014
Turkey

Sancak gets green light to build power plant on protected area

ŞABAN GÜNDÜZ | Today's Zaman | September 03, 2014 | www.todayszaman.com

Pro-government businessman Ethem Sancak’s planned 15-megawatt wind-power plant has been approved by the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning, despite its proposed location being on a natural protected area, unnamed sources told Today’s Zaman on Wednesday.

Sancak aims to build the plant in the Urla and Serefihisar districts of the province of İzmir, and the development plans are expected to be posted in the İzmir branch and published on the Internet site of the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning before Sept. 29.

The move has raised eyebrows as the Energy Market Regulatory Agency (EPDK) recently cancelled 16 electricity production-related projects of 16 companies – including six wind-power plants – despite the fact that these projects were being conducted with the proper procedures and within allocated timeframes. None of the 25 projects being carried out by the Sancak Group were canceled.

Sancak was initially granted the license for the İzmir plant in a partnership alongside Şınlak Holding in May of 2008, and requested 28 months to complete the project. However, in September 2010, the companies requested an additional year from the EPDK, which was granted. Although it has been nearly three years since that extra time expired, the license for the project has still not been cancelled.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/09/04/sancak-gets-green-light-to-build-power-plant-on-protected-area/