All old coal power plants in Turkey will update and renew their entire filtering systems according to the latest technological and environmental criteria by 2019, said Berat Albayrak, Turkey's energy and natural resources minister on Saturday.
New coal plants are constructed in accord with environmental and latest technological criteria, Albayrak said.
On the governmental side, there are plans to update all old plants by 2019, he said.
'We have also talked with private companies on updating their old power plants. We made it clear that they have until 2019 to adapt the new environmental criteria,' he added.
The minister said it is important for Turkey to utilize all its sources, including renewable energy, coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power.
Domestic production and R&D are essential for Turkey's development in the energy sector, he added.
'Domestic coal resources, which transpires to be more calorie-rich than previously thought, will be an important part of Turkey's energy strategy,' Albayrak said in April when he introduced the country's national energy strategy.
Recently, the country has also taken important steps in developing its solar and wind potential.
A Kalyon-Hanwha consortium won the tender bid for the construction of Turkey's biggest solar power plant, 1,000 megawatts, in Karapinar in March.
In August, a Siemens-Turkerler-Kalyon consortium won the first 1,000 megawatt wind tender in the country.
By Zeynep Beyza Kilic
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr