Anadolu Group has applied to the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK in Turkish acronym) for the planned coal-fired thermal power plant to be constructed near Yaykl village in Sinops Gerze district and obtained production license on 20.11.2008. Legal struggle was started by the local communities on the grounds that the plant will alter the ecological and socioeconomic structure of the region in irreversible ways. Despite the Council of States motion for stay of execution decisions in filed lawsuits, Anadolu Group continued the ground study in the EIA process. In March 2011 machinery was stopped from entering the site and crew sent by the company for the study was prevented to access the site by the local people. In August 2011, uninterrupted guard duty was started in the region by the local communities. On 22.08.2011, two excavators accompanied by the gendarmerie arrived to the region; however their entry was blocked again by the local people. On September 2011, the companys excavators came once again to the site with the gendarmerie and police and this time local people were intervened by intensive tear bombs. Nevertheless, the local community refused to leave the area; resistance actions of 11 hours made the machinery back off. During the incident 26 people were wounded and legal action was taken. About 150 people were left on the ground; they were charged with uncompliance to the Law of Meetings and Demonstrations. It was said that their resistance impeded duty, and damaged property. In May 2012, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation has stopped the EIA process pertaining to Gerze Energy Plant due to the fact that the intended area for construction partially falls in forest land. |
Name of conflict: | Gerze coal-fired Thermal Power Plant, Turkey |
Country: | Turkey |
State or province: | Sinop |
Location of conflict: | Gerze, Yaykil |
Accuracy of location | HIGH (Local level) |
Type of conflict. 1st level: | Fossil Fuels and Climate Justice/Energy |
Type of conflict. 2nd level: | Coal extraction and processing Thermal power plants |
Specific commodities: | Coal Electricity Land |
Project details | Total installed capacity (electricity): 1200 MW Type of fuel: Imported coal diesel (booster fuel). It is foreseen that the plant consumes 9432 ton of high calorie coal daily. It is envisaged that the coal to be used in the plant will be imported from Russia and South Africa. Foreseen average production 8.700.000.000 kWh/year. It is foreseen that 3 million 888 thousand m3 water is taken daily from the sea for cooling and after its use, it will be released back to the sea (as hot water) via three 2,6 meter diameter pipes. Furthermore, the construction of a 2853m long landing deck is foreseen in the framework of the project. For its construction, 5 million m3 of seabed dredging excavation and, with the other filling materials, 10 million 330 thousand m3 of excavation are planned. |
Level of Investment: | 1,000,000,000 |
Type of population | Semi-urban |
Start of the conflict: | 11/2008 |
Company names or state enterprises: | Anadolu Group from Turkey |
Relevant government actors: | The Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation, Energy Market Regulatory Board, Provincial Directorate of Forestry, Sinop Governorship, Sinop Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, Gerze Municipality |
Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available: | Gerze Culture and Tourism Association, Gerze Philanthropy Association, Gerze Association of Kemalist Thought, Gerze Villageheadmen Association, Gerze Association of Grey Wolves (a political group), Gerze Community Centre, Gerze Municipality, Gerze Municipal Council, Gerze Town Council, Gerze Municipality Youth Council, Republican Peoples Party District Organization, Democratic Left Party District Organization, National Action Party District Organization, Democratic Party District Organization, Rights and Equality Party District Organization, Labour Party Provincial Organization, Education and Science Workers Union, Turkish Education and Science Workers Union, BES, Education and Science Employees Union, Educators Association, Gerze Fisheries Cooperative, Gerze Sport Club, Gerze Tradesmen Sport Club, Gerze arsi Group (associated with Besiktas Sports Club)., Greenpeace, Greens Party, Ecology Collective, Turkish Medical Association, Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects, Freedom and Solidarity Party, Turkish Communist Party, Brotherhood of Rivers Platform, The Black Sea Uprising Platform. |
Intensity | HIGH (widespread, mass mobilization, violence, arrests, etc...) |
Reaction stage | PREVENTIVE resistance (precautionary phase) |
Groups mobilizing: | Social movements Women Fisher people Local ejos Neighbours/citizens/communities Trade unions Farmers Local scientists/professionals International ejos Local government/political parties Villagers Trade Chambers |
Forms of mobilization: | Boycotts of official procedures/non-participation in official processes Development of a network/collective action Involvement of national and international NGOs Lawsuits, court cases, judicial activism Media based activism/alternative media Objections to the EIA Official complaint letters and petitions Public campaigns Street protest/marches Occupation of buildings/public spaces |
Environmental Impacts | Potential: Air pollution, Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Food insecurity (crop damage), Global warming, Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Deforestation and loss of vegetation cover, Reduced ecological / hydrological connectivity |
Health Impacts | Potential: Exposure to unknown or uncertain complex risks (radiation, etc…), Mental problems including stress, depression and suicide, Other environmental related diseases |
Other Health impacts | Poisoning (potential) |
Socio-economical Impacts | Potential: Loss of livelihood, Loss of traditional knowledge/practices/cultures, Land dispossession, Loss of landscape/sense of place |
Other socio-economic impacts | Reduced access to water |
Project Status | Stopped |
Conflict outcome / response: | Criminalization of activists Court decision (victory for environmental justice) Repression Violent targeting of activists Project temporarily suspended |
Development of alternatives: | Due to the fact that Sinop receives lots of wind, the alternative of wind farm has been proposed to meet the energy demand of the region. |
Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?: | Not Sure |
Briefly explain: | According to the explanation of the chairman of the Anadolu Groups board, the company has so far spent 15 million USD for the project. Although the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation has stopped the EIA process due to the fact that the intended area for the plants construction partially falls in forest land, the company did not announce abandoning the project. Therefore, the conflict arising from the Gerze Thermal Power Plant remains unclear. |
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Other comments: | A social opposition has been formed against the thermal power plant intended to be constructed in Gerze by the Anadolu Group. While on the one hand legal struggle is continuing against the plant, protests are ongoing on the other. The conflict has surpassed the regional and national borders, made it as news to corporate watch website, was mentioned by Greenpeaces General Director Kumi Naidoo during his visit to Turkey and appeared in the website of 350, a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis. Even though the plans regarding the plant have been stopped for now due to its potential negative effects on Sarikum Nature Reserve, the conflict has not yet been resolved. |
Contributor: | Mahir Ilgaz |
Last update | 07/11/2017 |
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“Let our lovely Gerze stay lovely"
“Let our lovely Gerze stay lovely,” reads the banner. “We don’t want a thermal power plant to come to our Gerze…”
Source: https://www.greenprophet.com/2011/11/10000-turks-gather-to-protest-coal-fired-power-plant/
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