02-05-06
As the natural gas crisis between Russia and
Ukraine brought possible power cuts to the agenda in Turkey, discussions over
"energy supply and security" have restarted. The Energy Ministry, developing a
project to affect the liberalization of the electricity market, is working to
pave the way for the construction of a state-run nuclear station.
The Ministry will discuss the issue together with the Energy Market Regulation
Board (EPDK), and with market players and businessmen.
The construction of nuclear energy stations cannot be undertaken by the
private sector alone and is set as the main reason for the new "arrangement;"
however, the EPDK opposes the arrangement saying they are concerned that "the
liberalization can be later withdrawn." It is necessary to obtain a license from
the EPDK to build the plant and produce electricity.
"If supply security cannot be established with the measures in this article,
power production companies are given the authority to build the necessary
production facility with the proposal of the ministry and the decision of the
Council of Ministers," reads the draft, excluding the Board from this particular
issue only.
The nine-article document prepared by the ministry also brings a change to
the Renewable Energy Resources Law. Accordingly, the seven-year purchase
guarantee period has been increased to 10 years.
This paves the way for the reassessment of dam projects that applied to the
Energy Board for the utilization of hydraulic resources and investment and
received a negative response from the State Water Works Authority (DSI), and for
the DSI to take the final decision.
The Turkish Power Transmission Corporation is authorized to determine the
power supply. EPDK Chairman Yusuf Gunay announced that "in the nuclear energy
project, the state, in partnership with the private sector, will not be issued a
license" according to the current law. The energy needed in the next term could
be met by domestic resources, the EPDK says.
The companies that received a license from the institution for power production
are "worried" about the preparation of the law, pointing out that public weight
in the sector will increase. The privatizations may come too late, they warn.
Source: Zaman Daily