Turkey finalizes second YEKA wind tenders

By Murat Temizer and Ebru Sengul

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's Enerjisa and Germany's Enercon won Turkey's second Renewable Energy Resources Zones (YEKA) wind energy tenders for a total capacity of 1,000 megawatts (MW) on Thursday.

The country held its second wind tenders for four 250 MW plants to be located in the western provinces of Balikesir, Canakkale, Aydin and Mugla.

The YEKA tenders forms part of Turkey's aim to supply 65% of its energy needs from domestic and renewable sources by 2023.

A total of nine local and global companies participated in the 1,000 MW tender, which was held in a reverse auction at the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources in Ankara on Thursday.

Turkish energy company Enerjisa offered the lowest price of $4.56 and $3.67 per kilowatt-hour of electricity production in Aydin and Canakkale, respectively.

German firm Enercon offered the lowest price of $4 and $3.53 per kilowatt-hour of electricity production in Mugla and Balikesir, respectively.

The tender winner will be able to sell electricity for 15 years with a purchase agreement that will be effective from the date the YEKA tenure contract is signed.

-First YEKA wind tender

In the first 1,000 MW wind tender that Turkey's Renewable Energy Resources Zone Project offered, a Siemens Gamesa - Turkerler - Kalyon consortium won the tender by submitting the best price of $3.48 per megawatt-hour.

The tender stipulated that upon signing the agreement, the winning consortium would construct a wind turbine factory in Turkey in the following 21 months. For this tender, Siemens took on the responsibility of constructing a turbine factory in the Aegean city of Izmir.

Wind energy projects in the first tender were assigned in Turkey's Marmara region - 406 MW in Kirklareli and 294 MW in Edirne. In addition, 160 MW and 90 MW will be located separately in Sivas with 50 MW set for construction in Eskisehir.