‘Close Unfiltered Thermal Plants in Turkey During Coronavirus Outbreak’

* Photo: Greenpeace

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Greenpeace has applied to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization of Turkey and requested that the operation of coal-fired thermal power plants be halted during novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Calling for an end to the operation of such power plants in the country without waiting for the end of 2020, the application of Greenpeace and the residents of the related provinces has also been submitted to the Provincial Pandemic Boards and the Ministry of Health.

Greenpeace has announced their application in a written statement. Referring to the World Health Organization's (WHO) statement that coronavirus has a more detrimental impact on the ones with chronic diseases, Greenpeace has also reminded that strict lockdown measures for 30 metropolitan cities have also been introduced in Zonguldak province.

"It has once again manifested how great a threat the coal-fired thermal power plants pose to human life," Greenpeace has noted.

Since the discovery of coal in the province in mid-19th century, Zonguldak has become a major coal production center.

In its administrative application to the Ministry, Greenpeace has demanded the closure of 9 thermal power plants granted "temporary operating certificates" in early 2020 and still operating without filters and necessary environmental investments so that the incidence of diseases will not increase during and after the outbreak and people can lead a health life.

The organization has also demanded that the ÇATES power plant in Zonguldak province, which was closed in 2020 because it did not have a filter, not be opened again as it has been recently alleged.

Kütahya cited as an example

According to Greenpeace, though the Seyitömer and Tunçbilek Power Plants in Kütahya province were opened again on January 1, 2020 as they allegedly completed the necessary investments, they, in fact, did not make the necessary investments, including filters.

When the organization measured the air quality in Seyitömer and Tunçbilek for a period of 24 hours last year, it was seen that the amount of PM 2.5, which leads to several diseases, was three times higher than the limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

"Encountering a similar situation in Zonguldak will aggravate the health concerns in the city even further," Greenpeace has warned.

'Zonguldak is the most considerable evidence'

Commenting on the issue, Greenpeace Mediterranean Program Director Deniz Bayram has briefly stated the following:

"Considering that various diseases caused by air pollution, especially KOAH, are prevalent in the cities where there are coal-fired thermal power plants, these cities are apparently more vulnerable to coronavirus.

"As a matter of fact, even though it is not a metropolitan city, a quarantine has been imposed in Zonguldak province because of 'high incidence of lung diseases,' which is the most considerable evidence for this.

"The unfiltered plants do not have filtering systems for SO2 (sulphur dioxide), one of the major air pollutants having a detrimental effect on human health. They do not have fue gas filters. The plants in question kept on polluting the air without making the environmental investments for 7 years. Amid such a health crisis as this, these plants must not work even one more day."

Which power plants?

Having failed to complete the required environmental investments by the end of 2019, 5 coal-fired power plants were closed on January 1, 2020: Kahramanmaraş Afşin A, Kütahya Seyitömer, Kütahya Tunçbilek, Sivas Kangal and Zonguldak ÇATES. The operations of one power plant were temporarily halted: Manisa Soma Thermal Plant.

Of the closed thermal power plants, Kütahya Seyitömer and Tunçbilek and Sivas Kangal have been reopened while it is alleged that Zonguldak ÇATES power plant will also be opened again.

Despite having no filters, 9 coal-fired power plants have been granted "temporary operating certificates" that are valid until January 2021:

• Çanakkale / ÇAN 18 Mart Thermal Power Plant
• Şırnak / Silopi Thermal Power Plant
• Muğla Yatağan Thermal Power Plant
• Sivas / Kangal Thermal Power Plant
• Ankara / Park Thermal Power Plant
• Muğla / Yeniköy Thermal Power Plant
• Muğla / Kemerköy Thermal Power Plant
• Bursa / Orhaneli Thermal Power Plant
• Kahramanmaraş / Afşin Elbistan B Thermal Power Plant

(TP/SD)