Mustafa Bildircin
The Soma B Thermal Power Plant, owned by the Electricity Generation Joint Stock Company, was transferred to a private company on 22 June 2015. Through the privatisation carried out in 2015, the shares of the power plant were transferred to Konya Sugar Industry and Trade Joint Stock Company. Following its privatisation, the Soma B Thermal Power Plant became the focal point of allegations concerning colossal public loss and environmental pollution.
The company operating the Soma B Thermal Power Plant, which was allegedly granted numerous privileges, sank into a financial quagmire over the years. It has been learnt that the company's debt to the Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKI) has also exceeded 11 billion TL.
DISPUTE
Konya Şeker, which operated the plant under the name of Soma Thermal Power Plant Electricity Generation Joint Stock Company, also took over the supply contract signed with the TKI during the privatisation process. It was stated that disputes arose in determining the prices of the coal sold by the TKI to the Soma B Thermal Power Plant, which was privatised and transferred to Konya Şeker Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. via the Sales Contract dated June 2015. It was noted that due to the disputes experienced, the TKI has been unable to collect the coal sales revenue from the company for a long time.
FINANCIAL COLLAPSE
As of 31 December 2025, the company's debt to the TKI stood at 11 billion 111 million 250 thousand TL. In March 2025, a protocol valid until 30 June 2025 was signed between the TKI and the company. However, the protocol could not be sustained. The company applied to the TKI on 27 June 2025, requesting a discount on coal prices. It was requested that if the demand was not met, the purchase obligation for the year 2025 be lifted and the supply be terminated.
Following the request, the TKI halted the coal supply as of 1 July 2025 and unilaterally terminated the contract via a letter dated 1 September 2025. It was reported that the company's activities came to a standstill following the termination decision.
INCENTIVES 166 TIMES THE FINE
Following inspections carried out by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change on 11 November 2024, flue gas values violating environmental legislation were detected in three chimneys of the Soma Thermal Power Plant.
The company was fined a total of 1 million 393 thousand 755 TL. However, the total amount of incentives granted to the company in 2024, the same year it was fined 1.3 million TL, was recorded as 232 million 60 thousand TL.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Özelleştirme masalı kâbus oldu: Soma’da 11,1 milyar TL’lik borç, published in BirGün newspaper on June 12, 2026.
