TURKEY EXPORTS 180 MW OF ELECTRICITY TO NORTHERN

UNCLAS ANKARA 000246

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DOE FOR C. WASHINGTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG IZ PREL TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY EXPORTS 180 MW OF ELECTRICITY TO NORTHERN
IRAQ


Sensitive But Unclassified.


1. (SBU) On a January 13 visit to the Karadeniz power plant
near Silopi, southeast Turkey, which began providing
electricity to northern Iraq in September 2003, Ankara and
Adana officers learned that the plant is currently exporting
about 180 MW across the border. The transmission line
connecting the plant to the electricity grid around Dohuk has
a capacity of between 200 and 225 MW, according to the plant
manager.


2. (SBU) Karadeniz recently added 100 MW of generating
capacity at the plant -- bringing total capacity to 175 MW.
However, the plant generates only about 85 MW on average,
because the plant does not receive bartered fuel oil from
Iraq (as originally planned) and must purchase more expensive
fuel oil in Turkey. The rest of the power for Iraq is
purchased by Karadeniz from the Turkish hydroelectric plant
at the Keban dam (25 MW) and from the the Turkish electricity
grid (about 70 MW).

Baghdad Minimize Considered.
EDELMAN