The Communiqué Regarding Technical Evaluation of Wind Sourced Electric Production Applications ("Communiqué") has entered into force in Turkey, published in Official Gazette number 2950 on 20 October 2015. The new Communiqué repeals the Communiqué Regarding Technical Evaluation of Wind Sourced License Applications (Official Gazette 27049, dated 9 November 2008).

The Communiqué aims to:

  • Promote effective and efficient use of wind sources for electricity generation.
  • Address technical evaluations of pre-licensed or unlicensed wind sourced electric generation applications.
  • Co-ordinate changes for licensed, unlicensed and/or pre-licensed applications which have passed technical evaluation.
  • Address issues with capacity increases and change requests for technical characterisation of turbines.

The Communiqué introduces provisions for technical evaluation of pre-license applications:

  • For licensed and/or pre-licensed projects, a Conformity Certificate from the General Directorate of Renewable Energy must be presented to obtain project approval and acceptance that the facilities were built in accordance with the project approvals. Parties cannot apply for a wind measurement station permit without the document, nor can a wind measurement station establishment report be issued.
  • A copy of the wind measurement station establishment report, approved by the public authorities and accredited bodies, should be submitted to the General Directorate of Renewable Energy within 30 calendar days of the approval date. Otherwise, technical evaluation of pre-license applications cannot be made.

The Communiqué raises two important issues for ongoing pre-license applications:

  • The minimum power density in the power plant area will be 0.6 MWm/km2 for license applications made before 3 October 2016. Wind power density at the wind measurement point will not be measured for these applications (Temporary Article 1).
  • A Technical Evaluation Report is required for applications made before the Communiqué came into force, where technical evaluation could not be made because the entire turbine coordinates intersected with an existing licensed power plant area (Temporary Article 2). A Technical Evaluation Report will be issued if the application's system connection right remains valid, the power plant area is the same as indicated in the first application, and the turbine coordinates in the indicated power plant area do not interact with turbine coordinates of other power plant areas.

Please see this link for full text of the Regulation (only available in Turkish).

Information first published in the MA | Gazette, a fortnightly legal update newsletter produced by Moroğlu Arseven.

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