- Project supports Türkiye’s energy transition with high-efficiency, flexible generation technology
- Plant features GE Vernova’s 9HA.02 gas turbine, marking the first H-class gas turbine installed in Türkiye
- ENKA Kirklareli Natural Gas Combined Cycle Power Plant is expected to benefit from GE Vernova’s long-term maintenance services
ENKA and GE Vernova have announced the start of commercial operations at the 852 megawatts (MW) Kirklareli power plant in Kirklareli, about 20 miles from the Bulgarian border in Türkiye. The facility is the first HA-powered plant in the country and represents a significant milestone in the modernization of Türkiye’s power generation fleet.
Under the terms of a multi-year agreement, GE Vernova is also expected to provide long-term maintenance services to improve asset visibility, reliability, and availability. The milestone was celebrated in the presence of senior government officials, including H.E. Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Türkiye, and representatives from ENKA and GE Vernova.
'With the successful commissioning of the Kirklareli power plant, ENKA has achieved a significant milestone, strengthening its position as both investor, EPC contractor, and operator of one of Türkiye's most efficient combined cycle facilities,' said Mr. Mehmet Tara, Chairman of the Board and President of ENKA. 'By delivering flexible, high-efficiency power to the national grid, this project reflects ENKA's nearly 70 years of engineering heritage, the depth of our in-house capabilities - from design to commissioning - and our long-term commitment to supporting Türkiye’s growing electricity needs with efficient, reliable, and flexible generation.'
The commercial operation of the Kirklareli plant comes as Türkiye continues to modernize its power system to meet rising electricity demand through a more efficient, resilient, and diversified generation mix. According to the IEA outlook, natural gas power generation in Türkiye has expanded significantly over the past two decades and today represents a key part of the country’s energy mix, supplying more than a quarter of its electricity.
For the Kirklareli Power Plant, GE Vernova supplied its combined-cycle power generation equipment, including a 9HA.02 gas turbine with H78 generator, an STF-D650 steam turbine, and a triple-pressure Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG). All engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning works were executed by ENKA's in-house teams, with approximately 8 million person-hours of effort over a 36-month execution period. The Kirklareli facility is expected to be among the most efficient combined-cycle gas power plants in the country, reaching above 63% net efficiency in combined-cycle mode.
'As Türkiye prepares to host COP31, this project highlights the important role that advanced, high-efficiency power generation technologies can play in strengthening energy security, while enhancing grid reliability,” said Joseph Anis, President & CEO for GE Vernova’s Gas Power business in Europe, Middle East & Africa. “Kirklareli's entry into commercial operation marks an important step in our collaboration with ENKA and in bringing GE Vernova’s HA technology to Türkiye for the first time. We are proud to support the country’s energy transition with technology that can help power growth, strengthen infrastructure, and contribute to long-term economic development.”
GE Vernova has supported Türkiye’s energy infrastructure for more than 75 years. Today, the company has an installed base of approximately 33.5 gigawatts (GW) across gas power, wind, hydro, and solar technologies, as well as grid modernization initiatives, and manufacturing and R&D capabilities through its Gebze Transformer Factory. With this project, GE Vernova’s total installed gas power capacity in Türkiye has reached approximately 13.5 GW.
