EBRD gets biggest wind farm in Turkey rolling

The biggest wind farm in Turkey, Enerjisa Bares Wind Power Plant in Balikesir in the west of the country, has started producing electricity.

The plant, built with a €135 million syndicated loan arranged by the EBRD, will increase Turkey’s current wind power-generated electricity by about 8 per cent and help the country diversify away from expensive imported fossil fuels.

“Last year when the EBRD invested in this brilliant wind farm, we knew which way the wind was blowing. The energy that Bares starts producing today can provide clean electricity to about 170,000 households in Turkey, blowing away costly imported resources, enhancing Turkey’s energy security and bringing the country closer to its renewable energy targets,”said EBRD Director for Power and Energy Nandita Parshad attending the commissioning ceremony on 11 May 2013.

Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz, Chairman of Sabanci Holding Guler Sabanci, E.ON International Energy CEO Stein Dale and E.ON Board Member, Jorgen Kildahl cut the ribbon.

Enerjisa, jointly owned by Haci Omer Sabanci Holding A.S. and E.ON SE, is the leading privately-owned Turkish energy company, active in electricity generation, trading, wholesale and distribution.

Enerjisa Bares Wind Power Plant in Balikesir is the EBRD’s second financing of a large wind farm in Turkey. In 2009, the Bank provided €45 million to help finance the construction and development of a 135 MW on-shore independent wind farm in Osmaniye in southern Turkey. The EBRD also finances mid-sized renewable energy generation through credit lines to Turkish banks.

Today, the renewable energy produced by EBRD-financed generators in Turkey can light homes for 4 million people.

The commissioning ceremony coincides with the EBRD’s Annual Meeting in Istanbul on 10-11 of May. The event is bringing together political leaders, EBRD officials and business representatives from all 34 countries where the Bank invests.