RWE’s Turkish Power Plant Expected to Start on Time, Turcas Says

RWE AG (RWE), a German power generator and distributor, and partner Turcas Petrol AS (TRCAS) expect the commercial operations of their gas-fired power plant in western Turkey to begin on time, Turcas Chief Executive Officer Batu Aksoy said.

The 775-megawatt plant in Denizli province is having its turbines and generators tested and will start up at the end of December as planned, Aksoy said in a telephone interview.

RWE, with 70 percent of the plant, and Turkey’s Turcas have invested a total of 500 million euros ($614 million) in the site as part of the Essen, Germany-based company’s plan to spend as much as 900 million euros in central and Eastern Europe by 2013, Andreas Radmacher, CEO of RWE’s Turkish unit, said last year.

“There may be some small delays during the testing of turbines and generators but the commercial commissioning of the plant remains unchanged and will be on December 31,” Aksoy said. The site, about 2 percent of Turkey’s power capacity, will power 3.5 million homes in the nation, RWE said on its website.

Pinar Ozturk, a spokeswoman for RWE in Turkey, didn’t immediately respond to telephone calls seeking comment.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ercan Ersoy in Istanbul eersoy@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Benedikt Kammel at bkammel@bloomberg.net.