2017-2018 New Season Opera Ballet Programs in Turkey

The Turkish State Opera and Ballet Company plans to present a new opera and ballet performances while deepening the the company's connection to its surrounding communities through world premieres, new and repertory productions, as the company announced their new season program recently in their web site. 

This season the opera ballet nights end at the end of May 2017. Afterwards, Istanbul, Izmir Ephesus and Antalya Aspendos summer festivals will be held in the open air seaside environments on warm nights. The new season will start at the beginning of October. 

We have a short summary review on the new opera ballet performances of the Turkish State Opera Ballet web page for you. We wanted to inform upfront the most important new performances in the new season.

"Simon Boccanegra" in Ankara, "Cosi fan Tutte" in Istanbul Süreyya opera, "Tannhauser" in İzmir Alhambra opera, "L'Elisir D'Amore" in Antalya opera, "Masked Ball" in Mersin opera and "I Paliacci" in Samsun opera will be staged. We have to watch all of them, even multiple times the new performances.

Ankara Opera House

Pelleas et Melisande, Claude Debussy (new)

Don Giovanni, Mozart

Simon Boccanegra, Giuseppe Verdi (new)

Zorba the Greek, Theodorakis (ballet)

Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky (ballet)

Giselle (ballet)

Istanbul Süreyya Opera House

Cosi fan Tutte, Mozart

L'incoronazione di Poppea, Claudio Monteverdi,

Ninetta, Rossini

Coppelia, Esmaralda, Three Musketeers (ballet)

Izmir Alhamra Opera House

Don Giovanni, Mozart

Against the wall (new)

Tannhauser, Richard Wagner (new)

Coppelia, Nutcracker, (ballet)

Antalya Opera House

Aida, Giuseppe Verdi

L'Elisir D'Amore, Gaetano Donizetti

Four-Seasons, Karamazov Brothers, Zorba the Greek (ballet)

Mersin Opera House

Gypsy Baron, Johann Strauss II

Masked Ball, Giuseppe Verdi

Frida, Count Dracula, Rhapsody in Blue (ballet)

Samsun Opera House

I Paliacci, Leoncavallo (new)

Le Rossignol, Stravinsky

Salome, Richard Strauss

Firebird, Stravinsky (ballet)

Carmen suite, (ballet)

At the time when conflicts, pessimism, divisions and war are all around us, your writers sincere feeling that the most important power that unite all people and cultures is music. Turkish Opera and Ballet invites audiences to discover the powerful experiences that great opera and ballet performances can provide. We are proud to see the artistic work and meaningful connections for opera lovers.

More information on Turkish State Opera and Ballet program can be found at web site www.dobgm.gov.tr

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Haluk Direskeneli, is a graduate of METU Mechanical Engineering department (1973). He worked in public, private enterprises, USA Turkish JV companies (B&W, CSWI, AEP), in fabrication, basic and detail design, marketing, sales and project management of thermal power plants. He is currently working as freelance consultant/ energy analyst with thermal power plants basic/ detail design software expertise for private engineering companies, investors, universities and research institutions. He is a member of ODTÜ Alumni and Chamber of Turkish Mechanical Engineers Energy Working Group.

This article is written for the "EurasiaReview" news web site.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/author/haluk-direskeneli/

Ankara, 28 May 2017

1000 MWe Capacity Wind Power Plant Tender Specifications

The Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MENR) published the invitation of tender competition for Wind Energy Renewable Resource Power Plant (YEKA in Turkish) on April 13, in the Official Gazette and announced it to the public as well as to the all  interested parties. Applications for the tender will be made to the Directorate General of Renewable Energy of the MENR by July 27, 2017 at 12:00.

In the early application phase, a firm but temporary guarantee letter for one year which would be in full or partly cashable, at non-limit 10 (ten million US Dollars) will be submitted to the tendering institution.

The initial ceiling bid price of the contest will be  7.00 US cents / kWh, the electricity purchase period will be 15 years. Winner will receive the land, make the investment, install the wind power plant and sell the electricity to the vendor institution for 15 years at a fixed price.

Business Partnerships or Consortiums which are established by the legal entity or by more than one legal entity may apply.

In order to participate in the competition, the competitor must submit a work experience list of completion certificate showing the Wind Turbine generation with a total power of at least 2,000 (two thousand) MWe from 01/01/2014 until 31/12/2016 of the Technology Provider.

Do you know how many manufacturers have installed 2000 MWe RES all over the world in the last two years? Let us declare here the names of the top 10-largest producers for you and their market share in the world (2015) in a range from small to large,

Nordex Germany, 3.4%

Ming Yang, China, 3.7%

United Power, China, 3.9%

Gamesa, Spain, 4.6%

GE, USA, 4.9%

Sulzon Group, India 6.3%

Siemens Germany, 8.0%

Enercon Germany, 10.1%

Goldwind, China 10.2%

Vestas Denmark, 13.2%

Earlier it was not yet the last definitive official specification, so tentative draft  tenders for 1000- Mwe wind plants were shared with interested parties as "top secret". By way of example, independent private persons can prepare such draft documents.

A well-known senior manager in a well known Turkish-foreign joint venture company,  experienced master engineer brother, one day said to me, "If you start working after the tender documents have been sold out, you can not win that tender for sure."

Over time I saw how accurate this recommendation was. You will be involved in the preparation of the tender specifications. The sales people should  help the buyer. If you receive a request for help, you will answer immediately, you will help, you will be supportive. Most purchasers do not have enough experience nor enough time to get the necessary technical and commercial documents.

They ask for help from market vendors to prepare the tender documents. Vendors even prepare them directly. You have to be involved in helping to prepare the tender documents. In the meantime you will take your position. You will be looking for a local-foreign partner.

You will need English draft specifications for these tenders. You should prepare the draft if it is in the short notice, or sit down and write yourself. Tender documents are similar to each other. International tender specifications have standard items. It never changes. If you know the capacity, location, fuel specs, you can always write draft contract specifications by yourself.

Then you get out  in international markets with this draft specification. You can sign cooperation agreements. You will save time. The formation of a joint venture partnership requires at least 6 months. When the tender documents come out, vendor  will usually give you 90 days. Then vendor consumes at least 6-month evaluation. No sound offer can be made within 90 days.

Years ago, I prepared  a draft technical documents both in Turkish-English with the demands of the Ministry's employees for domestic coal-fired thermal power plant. I have used an outdated technical tender specification by renewing the name capacity location information. I have foreseen the design of the USA boiler specs so that we can take advantage of it, I filled the necessary standards with ASME, ASTM. Official final tender conditions were later added by German, Russian, Japanese standards by the administration staff to ensure tender equality.

In order to be able to pre-negotiate with foreigners and prepare early proposals, such preliminary texts are required for domestic firms. They have no official image. There is no possibility to wait for the final official tender specification to be announced, capacity is known, place is known, prevailing rules are known, main text is almost certain.  For the draft Wind tender for 1000 MWe, the solar power plant for 1000 MWe specification can be taken as basis. The draft specification can be made ready to be prepared. Now the final tender is already announced. So the official specification will apply for proposal for all interested parties. For any further information you require, please feel free to contact the authority.

Your comments are always welcome. Good Luck.

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Haluk Direskeneli, is a graduate of METU Mechanical Engineering department (1973). He worked in public, private enterprises, USA Turkish JV companies (B&W, CSWI, AEP), in fabrication, basic and detail design, marketing, sales and project management of thermal power plants. He is currently working as freelance consultant/ energy analyst with thermal power plants basic/ detail design software expertise for private engineering companies, investors, universities and research institutions. He is a member of ODTÜ Alumni and Chamber of Turkish Mechanical Engineers Energy Working Group.

This article is written for the "EurasiaReview" news web site.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/author/haluk-direskeneli/

Ankara, 22 May 2017

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Victory Day Parades

Every country has a "Victory Day". It is 4th of July in America, July 14 in France, May 9 in Russia, and August 30 in Turkey. In Victory Day, the army of the country makes "Victory Parade" in their capital. We used to see the "Victory Day" in our own country. National TV had a holiday broadcasting of the Parade march all day.

In our childhood, we have gone to ceremonies of Victory Day in the Ankara Hippodrome. It was the common feature of these festivals that the noise of the soldiers' post, the fearless gaze of soldiers, while the military airplanes are flying over, along with the military helicopters, and the battle tanks.

Then we met the internet. Youtube.com has entered into our life. Surfers have begun to watch it all. Many views made it possible to watch the victory day parades in foreign countries. We access the Youtube.com web page and watch the individual victory days. Different preparations and images are emerging in all of them.

French Army make a difference with their brown aprons and slow walks that the French wear on their "Foreign Legionaries" uniform.

I am always amazed how the British queen's soldiers are moving in the heat with black big fur shanks and red thick uniforms. That's why there are so many unfortunate foot soldiers go unconscious during the royal ceremony.

Italians are in the mockery of opera music triumph. The cavalry's metal chest armors are shining in open sky daytime. Paramilitary forces come forward. The infantry regiment of the Italians, called "Bersaglieri", their fast-moving running troops are very famous. I love to watch them.

Germans are not doing anything very special. They walk in the standard order of the NATO armies. They are not more than we are. The ancient 19th century German Prussian army's march was transferred by German army advisers to the Chilean army in South America during the 19th century. Today you see the goose steps of the Wehrmacht Germany on the victory parade of the Chilean army.

The perfect walk of Chinese women soldiers in red uniforms is unbelievable especially during the Chinese victory parades. We are used to male soldiers' demonstration of victory parades, but we have to watch the flawless marches of Chinese female soldiers, it is unprecedented unique and very different.

Armies of friendly countries send guest units to the other nations' victory day.

North Korean female soldiers walking in the vibrating goose steps actually just creates smiles. There is no perfect effect.

It is normal for a male soldier to walk regularly in marching. It is very impressive that the regular and disciplined walk of many female soldiers.

US 4th of July ceremonies have civil image. There is no hard military show in the US 4th July victory day parades. Local civilian people, lıcal fire brigade, police, public institutions parade walks are more obvious.

Victory ceremonies performed by Americans in 1946 in New York and other major cities after World War II were very impressive. Now we can watch them in black and white.

In Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egyptian, in many Other Arab countries, there is a tendency to military run in front of the protocol. The weather is very hot, the soldiers are jogging around in light military uniforms.

Iranians used to run in the past, and now they do not have this practice. Iran enjoys more of the modern military outfits, and mechanical battle equipment is preferred to show foreign military Attaches in the ceremony area.

Let's not forget that during the victory parade march of the Egyptian armed forces on October 6, 1981, a group of Egyptian rival troops in the march, united in front of the protocol and assassinated President Enver Sadat. Not only Egypt, that day all Arab troops lost credentials.

In the Israeli military ceremonies, the presence of women soldiers again draws attention. It is not easy to walk in warm weather of Israel in the military. In the evening, celebrations continue. Female soldiers have their military uniform skirts underneath their knees but the collar is open. The soldiers give female and male pop music concerts, along with singing folk songs on stage. They already have an alert army that stands guard in case of constant war.

On 9 May Victory Day in Moscow, soldiers of friendly countries have Red Square pass, the United States, Britain, France, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan. Here you can compare the ability to act together with the discipline of the guest-friendly group of individual armies in about 100 people.

The parade walk of Russian women soldiers from the Red Square is different. The walking manners of Russian women soldiers is also very impressive. All of the female soldiers are smiling at the protocol stand, giving their most beautiful images. Skirts on knees, standing troop boots or short heeled shoes. No weapons in hand.

All soldiers look at protocol stands with scary looks. Russian people do not usually laugh in general. Laughing or any smile is seen as weakness. Even in McDonalds shop in Moscow, you will find unsmiling salespeople. But that is not the case in the red square. All male and female soldiers are smiling at the protocol stand. Here's the explanation. It is a privilege to cross the Red Square during the Victory Day and to walk there. It is a great honor to be chosen for the parade walk.During the walk you need to be happy and to show this happiness with your smile. During the Second World War, black & white films of the 1941 Red Square march were very creepy. Eastern Siberian troops carried by trains from Siberia to Moscow were hiking in the Red square, then heading to the front to fight with German soldiers approaching Moscow. The most of them died on the same day. Striking images of the 90-thousand German soldiers who were captured after Stalingrad were sent to Siberia through the streets of Moscow. Only 6,000 soldiers could return to Germany. At the Moscow 1945 victory parade, one of greatest names of the Great Patriotic war, Marshal Zhukov's riding his white horse, the captured German flags, the victory images of the T34 battle tanks were not forgotten. Moscow May 9th is probably the benchmark for this business, in the Russian Red Square victory parade march. If we are looking for  to mend our relations with Neighboring countries, then we may also send a military team to these important days.

We may also invite the military troops of friendly countries to our victory days. Let's show ourselves, and let's see others.

In order to be able to survive in our uneasy geographical environment, it is necessary to have a strong and effective army with high deterrence capabilities by all means.

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Haluk Direskeneli, is a graduate of METU Mechanical Engineering department (1973). He worked in public, private enterprises, USA Turkish JV companies (B&W, CSWI, AEP), in fabrication, basic and detail design, marketing, sales and project management of thermal power plants. He is currently working as freelance consultant/ energy analyst with thermal power plants basic/ detail design software expertise for private engineering companies, investors, universities and research institutions. He is a member of ODTÜ Alumni and Chamber of Turkish Mechanical Engineers Energy Working Group.

This article is written for the "EurasiaReview" news web site.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/author/haluk-direskeneli/

Ankara, 24 May 2017

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Opera Ballet 2017 Summer Festivals in Turkey

Opera ballet programs come to end at the end of May. Then the summer festivities begin in Turkey. We have compiled festivals of Istanbul Izmir bodrum antalya where opera ballet companies perform in summer. We gave internet addresses for details. You can visit the internet pages for more information as well as to purchase tickets.

Foreign tour companies are taking these festivals to their programs, giving their guests the chance to participate to opera ballet nights at summer resorts. It is a very pleasant feeling to watch opera or ballet in warm evening outdoors with your loved ones.

Istanbul 8th International Opera festival, 13-23 June 2017

The abduction from Seraglio, opera by Mozart, Archeology Museum

Opera stars, by Mersin Opera, Zorlu Performance Arts Center (PSM)

Macbeth, by Verdi, Mersin Opera company, Zorlu PSM

Faust, by Gounod, Istanbul Opera, Zorlu PSM

Www.istanbuloperafestival.gov.tr

Bodrum 15th International Ballet Festival, 18th July - 12th August,

Sleeping beauty, by Tchaikovsky, Istanbul state opera and ballet

Cuba vira !, modern dance, Cuba

Harem, Ankara opera and ballet

Zorba, Theodorakis, Ankara opera and ballet house

Romeo Juliet, Tchaikovsky, Izmir

Gaia- a fuego lento, Kazakhstan Astana ballet group

Amore, Svetlana Zakharova Moscow ballet company

Dance of color, by Mozart, Mersin opera and ballet company

Born to dance, Flamenco, Los Vivancos

Www.bodrumballetfestival.gov.tr

Antalya 24. International Aspendos 23 August- 7 September

Aida, by Verdi, Antalya Opera,

Macbeth, by Verdi, Izmir Opera

Sleeping Beauty, Istanbul Ballet

Samson and Dalila, Saint-Sans, İzmir Opera

Scheherazade-Chopina- Polonaise dances by Moscow State Opera

Tosca, by Puccini, Estonia National opera

Www.aspendosfestival.gov.tr

Here are opera and ballet days you can also follow,

Eskişehir opera ballet days, 3-12 May

Mardin opera ballet days 20-23-25 May

Trabzon opera ballet days 18-21-23 April

Gaziantep opera ballet days, 22-23-25 April

İzmir Ephesus opera ballet days, 16-19-22 September

Here are the performances in opera days.

Looking for a tenor, musical comedy, by Ankara opera and ballet

Harem, by Ankara opera and ballet

Nasreddin Hodja, children's opera

When "Looking for a Tenor" banners are announced on the local billboards, many people think that it is a business proclamation.
they say "I do not know what tenor is, but I can handle every job", so they apply to opera ballet administration. this is not a joke.

Istanbul 5th International Ballet Competition is to be held on 8-13 July. All details and ticket informations are available at www.dobgm.gov.tr.

We also need to follow the D-marine Turgutreis Classical Music Festival and the Bodrum Gümüşlük Piano Days.

We wish you warm peaceful beautiful days, warm and happy summer season,

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Haluk Direskeneli, is a graduate of METU Mechanical Engineering department (1973). He worked in public, private enterprises, USA Turkish JV companies (B&W, CSWI, AEP), in fabrication, basic and detail design, marketing, sales and project management of thermal power plants. He is currently working as freelance consultant/ energy analyst with thermal power plants basic/ detail design software expertise for private engineering companies, investors, universities and research institutions. He is a member of ODTÜ Alumni and Chamber of Turkish Mechanical Engineers Energy Working Group.

This article is written for the "EurasiaReview" news web site.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/author/haluk-direskeneli/

Ankara, 12th May 2017

French Presidential Elections 2017

In France, on 7th May 2017 Sunday, the second round of voting for presidential elections took place. Just for curiosity, I look at the candidates' biographies in wikipedia, and the policies they promised,

There was a female candidate, Marine LePen, a lawyer, chairwoman of French Nationalist Front, with a long political history, a senior and experienced politician who inherited the party from her far rightist father, then fired his father, defended her exit policy from the European Union named Frexit. She wanted immigrants as well as Muslim minorities to be deported from France. She says "Every Friday at noon time, you close the streets of Paris to pray. That means the invasion of France. The occupation is not done only with tanks, guns, or rifle. You can not insert yourself visible in a Christian country. The immigrants should return to their countries," She further says "I certainly do not cover my head when talking to Muslim leaders".

Marine LePen was married twice, divorced twice, now lives with a third partner now without marriage, She has three adult age children from her first marriage. She uses social media, also speaks very well on the podium.

The second most important candidate was Emmanuel Macron, born in year 1977, 40-years-old, first investor banker, then economy minister in Hollande government. He speaks fluent English, he is young dynamic, supports European Union. He promotes more immigrants to come. He supports reducing global warming, climate change, renewable energies. He pursues European policies. He uses social media very well. He has more than 660 thousand followers on twitter account,

Emmanuel Macron, married to Brigitte Trogneux in 2007. Brigitte was born in 1953, 26 years senior of Emmanuel Macron. Emmanuel Macron was at school at the age of 16 when they met. She was French literature teacher in his high school. Emmanuel Macron's family objected to this situation with Brigitte Trogneux, who had been married to a banker at that time. She had three children from his banker husband. She had divorced the banker husband and married Emmanuel Macron in 2007,

Donald Trump (70) is married to Melanie (42). Emmanuel Macron (40) marries Brigitte (63). That is their private life. We look at the politics of the country how it is ruled, the rule of law, the continuation of the parliamentary regime, the separation of powers, the smooth and fair elections. Politicians' emotional life is not our business.

LePen and Macron were the Candidates with the first two most votes. The first two most-voted candidates in France met again in the election round on May 7th. At the end of the day, Emmanuel Macron won 65% of the vote. Emmanuel Macron is 40 years old.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaux is 45 years old, Barrack Obama was 47 years old when he was first elected. Are new young leaders forming a trend in the democratic world? In each of the next elections will young leaders in their 40s stand out?

The new political agenda in France will be upgrading economy, the status of refugees, inland security and terror, and the relations with European Union.

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Haluk Direskeneli, is a graduate of METU Mechanical Engineering department (1973). He worked in public, private enterprises, USA Turkish JV companies (B&W, CSWI, AEP), in fabrication, basic and detail design, marketing, sales and project management of thermal power plants. He is currently working as freelance consultant/ energy analyst with thermal power plants basic/ detail design software expertise for private engineering companies, investors, universities and research institutions. He is a member of ODTÜ Alumni and Chamber of Turkish Mechanical Engineers Energy Working Group.

This article is written for the "EurasiaReview" news web site.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/author/haluk-direskeneli/

Ankara, 8 May 2017

Unbearable Lightness of Searching Foreign Engineers

Your writer has been working in a JV company with a foreign partner in Turkey in the 1990s. We got a big boiler tender at an important plant along the Black Sea coast. Our US based JV partner gave us the first 10 major drawings of similar proven ref design that they had built elsewhere, at a price of US$ 60,000. They advised us to create detail design in our engineering department.

We received their Design manuals, approx 1000 detail drawings would be drawn, moreover we should carry out purchasing, manufacturing and on-site assembly.

There was one important clause in the tender document. We were supposed to have an expatriate preferably an American engineer as construction site manager.

Having an expatriate US engineer as our foreign construction site manager would mean paying US$ 10,000 per month, plus living expenses, lodging, company car.

In those days I was having a monthly net salary of 2000 US dollars.

That was the top salary in our company for engineers.

Anyway, all design, procurement, manufacturing works have been completed, the boiler construction project has come to the stage of site assembly.

Our British expat general manager brought a resume one day.

A young American graduate living in Kentucky has just finished school. Whatever happened that summer as he traveled to Europe, on his way he dropped to Istanbul.

He has found a Turkish girl, first friendship then marriage. Then he started to look for a job to stay in Turkey for 1-2 years.

First he got a list of US companies who were active in Turkey. He reviewed the list and submitted a CV to each of those that he deemed appropriate, declaring that he was looking for a job to work.

He was almost 25 years old, with a mechanical engineering degree from a Kentucky university. He had no past experience. But he was an American expatriate.

We called him. He had an incomprehensible English. But no harm, he was American, with a valid US passport.

We renewed his CV, sent him to a barber to have a business style haircut. We purchased a black business suit on his back. Then We all went the customer's factory. Of course, we already advised him, "Do not open your mouth, just say hello, how are you ... Do not say another word."

We introduced him. Here's our American construction site chief from the USA!

The young US engineer stayed on site for 6-8 months. He got $ 4,000 per month. We rented a house and the company car. We advised him a crush course for site management.

He was at the construction site full time during the day, he wrote progress reports. Since he was a newcomer, he followed what we asked to do. He edited the site notes we wrote in English.

He made recording of the arrival and departure of the workers.

He was not involved in technical matters. The job was over. Our young engineer won a ref project to write in his CV.

In the meantime, his Turkish wife received her United States entry visa, they both went to the US. We finished the job at site, and received our completion certificate.

Similar situations were repeated in two separate assembly sites in Bursa. This time with an elderly foreign field engineers.

The first one was a foreign construction engineer, with good contract experience.

The other was an old German engineer. He did not even know how to use a computer. We wrote the site progress reports in English, he signed it, so it went on.

So do not insist on having foreign engineers in the field, see how it works. Because this is Turkey, we have endless solutions.

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Haluk Direskeneli, is a graduate of METU Mechanical Engineering department (1973). He worked in public, private enterprises, USA Turkish JV companies (B&W, CSWI, AEP), in fabrication, basic and detail design, marketing, sales and project management of thermal power plants. He is currently working as freelance consultant/ energy analyst with thermal power plants basic/ detail design software expertise for private engineering companies, investors, universities and research institutions. He is a member of ODTÜ Alumni and Chamber of Turkish Mechanical Engineers Energy Working Group.

This article is written for the "EurasiaReview" news web site.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/author/haluk-direskeneli/

Ankara, 3rd May 2017

Commercial Victimization in Turkish Energy Markets

Energy business managing and making new energy investments are like running marathon races. You can not run 100m short race in this market. You can not change your position immediately. You can not change the fuel type. You can not look for domestic coal since it is cheaper and you have supply security. If you look at the short term, you will have hard times, maybe you bankrupt.

Gas-fired combined cycle power plants are still working because they supply electricity to the nearby big cities and industrial centers as base power plants. Gas-fired combined cycle power plants have also full capacity operation supply security and sales guarantee due to Build-Operate-Transfer contracts.

The situation of other gas fired CCPP stations are not so good. Natural gas prices have not yet reflected on the domestic market. There is currently a big size combined cycle power plant that does not operate, and does not generate electricity, does not make money. When in operation, plant operates at a 30% capacity maximum.

Many thermal power plants which are burning imported coal have occasionally stopped operation due to "Commercial Victimization" cause. "Commercial Victimization" is the code name.

Although imported coal prices have fallen below US $ 60 per ton, the cost of electricity generated in imported coal-fired thermal power plants has surpassed market electricity sales prices.

Eventually investors who did not want to sell electricity to the market at low prices naturally made obvious economic decisions. Some preferred to stop the business for a certain period of time.

We used to say, "This happens only in combined cycle power plants." Now we witness the same situation with imported coal plants. We shall leave the domestic coal under the soil and would use foreign imported coal resources for a while. That is changed.

There are large gas deposits in Australia. China and Japan were buying cheap Australian gas. Australia has set up two large facilities to generate electricity, in Wheatstone and Gorgon power plants.

Each investment had a price tag of $ 60 billion.

Australians would sell LNG to all over the world.

Five years ago the gas was US$ 17.50 per MMBTU.

Now gas price is US$ 6.50 per MMBTU.

Investments were feasible in the past, but now not any more. Now Japanese buyers are pushing Australian gas producers for high price reduction.Let's see where they deal.

Australians can not carry out new projects in Australia anymore.

The third project, Browse, has been canceled.

There is no more good news in terms of feasible energy security based on the feasibility of imported fuel investment projects.

We need new plans to make forward-looking strategies on a specific tried-and-tested model for energy.

The current generally accepted option is to add the maximum possible renewable energy into national grid.

Feed-in support policies for national networks is changing, with reverse capacity auction on the market.

Fossil-based electricity production will gradually decrease in time.

There will soon be carbon tax in all over the world.

Emissions trading will be practiced.

After a while, the domestic coal can also be expensive for the market and that situation will create "Commercial Victimization".

These comments can be very frightening to you, if you are living in the dream world, so we have to face hard facts.

If the incentives for energy investments are limited and they only add global imbalances to the financial markets, it seems that only investment in renewable resources are more likely feasible.

Turkey is far behind in terms of LNG and CNG resources.

LNG is still seen as an alternative to liquid petroleum fuels. While CNG vehicles were widespread in Europe, we only practiced in public transportation applications.

You might think that imported coal prices are profitable even in the free market sales of imported coal plants at a time when the imported coal price is lower than US $ 60 per metric ton.

But this is very misleading.

As long as the electricity purchase guarantee agreements do not reach close to the power plant life, the risk of investing in the power plants and use of more domestic coal, which is full of unknowns, can be hardly taken a feasible choice today. The imported coal which is used for imported coal-fired thermal power plants is taxed at US $ 15 per tonne, and this practice discourage more investments.

If you need electricity desperately by all means, then the price is not important, since the price is paid seems inexpensive anyway.

At the moment, the best way for market investors is to agree on what to do with local lignite and decide how to invest on local resources. Investors are to make their new investment programs in accordance with their already known market figures.

Due to the special circumstances of countries, economic powers may create some exceptions. But in the future it seems that financing of coal investments will become increasingly difficult.

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Haluk Direskeneli, is a graduate of METU Mechanical Engineering department (1973). He worked in public, private enterprises, USA Turkish JV companies (B&W, CSWI, AEP), in fabrication, basic and detail design, marketing, sales and project management of thermal power plants. He is currently working as freelance consultant/ energy analyst with thermal power plants basic/ detail design software expertise for private engineering companies, investors, universities and research institutions. He is a member of ODTÜ Alumni and Chamber of Turkish Mechanical Engineers Energy Working Group.

This article is written for the "EurasiaReview" news web site.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/author/haluk-direskeneli/

Ankara, 1st May 2017