By Sami Zaptia.
London, 30 August 2020:
- GECOL and Turkey’s Calik Energy discuss new projects
- Projects to increase power generation capacity at Tripoli South power station
- Tripoli South power station is located some 12 km south of Tripoli on Swani-Kremia Rd
- Agreement comes as part of wider Libya-Turkey agreement for return of Turkish companies
- Libya giving priority to Turkish companies in return for military support against Hafter
- Existing stalled electricity contracts to be given priority
- Libya claims GECOL has met Turkish security demands
- Turkish return discussed under auspices of 13 August Libya-Turkey MoU
- Return discussed within Turkish-Libyan Working Group with contractors’ union
- Turkish companies were forced to leave Libya in 2018 after 3 engineers were kidnapped
Libya’s state General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) announced yesterday that it is discussing the construction of high capacity generating units at its Tripoli South power station with Turkish Calik Energy.
The announcement came after a visit by a Calik delegation to the power station located about 12 km south of Tripoli on the Swani-Kremia road.
GECOL said that this particular power station was nominated for the upgrade because of its proximity to the load-sharing centre, as well as the availability of infrastructure for fuel, natural gas and energy discharge. It said that this is one of the steps it is taking aimed at reducing Libya’s electricity production deficit.
Equally, Libya’s internationally recognized prime minister Faiez Serraj met with Turkish Kalyon Group last Monday (24 August) to discuss ‘‘the completion of stalled projects’’.
This the Tripoli government reported comes as part of ‘‘efforts to complete stalled projects and find urgent solutions for the bottlenecks in a number of service areas’’.
The meeting reportedly discussed the completion of stalled and urgently planned infrastructure projects, including electricity, solar energy, health and transportation, and the identification of mechanisms for cooperation in the field of investment in general.
It will be recalled that Libya and Turkey signed an MoU on 13 August this year. The agreement was part of cooperation between the two countries to complete 184 stalled Turkish construction projects in Libya estimated at US$ 16 bn.
It will also be recalled that Turkish companies were forced to leave Libya in 2018 when three engineers were kidnapped and held hostage for eight months before finally being released.
Turkish contractors: an overview of negotiations on their return to Libya
Turkey given priority in Libya contracts, security provided for electricity projects: Serraj
Turkish companies prepared to return to complete stalled projects in Libya: Libyan Finance Ministry
Libya and Turkey sign trade understandings to complete 184 stalled projects worth US$ 16 bn
