The turbines of the Karakaya Dam, Turkey's second largest hydroelectric power plant, which has been producing power for 36 years, are being renewed.
According to the statement made by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the turbines developed with domestic and national resources were purchased by Elektrik Üretim A.Ş., two relevant organizations of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. (EÜAŞ) and Türkiye Elektromekanik A.Ş. (TEMSAN) will be placed in 6 units of the power plant. With the rehabilitation project to be completed in 2026, Karakaya HEPP will produce an additional 178 GWh annually. This additional production will create a surplus value of 445 million lira every year. Karakaya will meet the annual electricity needs of 61 thousand more families.
7,5 billion dollar investment
The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources ensured an investment of 2017 billion dollars in the field of energy efficiency between 2022 and 7,5. With these investments, a cumulative energy saving of 18,7 million TOE was achieved and 59 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions were prevented. The ministry supports efficiency-increasing projects to ease the burden of the private sector in this field, and also implements efficiency-increasing projects in its power plants.
85 ton turbine wheel
One of these projects started to be implemented in Karakaya HEPP, which started operating in 1987 and is Turkey's second largest hydroelectric power plant. The disassembly of the 36-year-old turbine in the first unit of the power plant was completed and the installation of the 85-ton turbine wheel and other equipment began. With the restoration project, the efficiency of the power plant, which produces a total of 300 MW of power, consisting of 6 units of 1800 MW, will be increased from 91 percent to 94,5 percent.
Other power plants are next
The entire rehabilitation of all 2026 units of the power plant will be completed in 6. Thus, Karakaya will realize an additional production of 178 GWh every year. This additional production will create a surplus value of 445 million lira every year. Karakaya will meet the annual electricity needs of 61 thousand more families. In other words, only the turbine renewal work at Karakaya HEPP will meet the annual electricity needs of a district with a population of approximately 250 thousand. The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources will start the local and national restoration works it started in Karakaya HEPP in other power plants as well.