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Viewing cable 07ANKARA2870, AVOIDING CUTOFF OF TURKISH ELECTRICITY TO NORTHERN

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07ANKARA2870 2007-12-03 09:27 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXRO1856
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIHL
RUEHIK RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR
RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAK #2870 3370927
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030927Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4511
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3583
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
UNCLAS ANKARA 002870 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOC FOR 4212/ITA/MAC/CPD/CRUSNAK 
EEB FOR A/S SULLIVAN 
EUR FOR DAS BRYZA 
SCA FOR MANN 
DOE FOR HEGBURG 
USTDA FOR DAN STEIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG IZ TU
SUBJECT: AVOIDING CUTOFF OF TURKISH ELECTRICITY TO NORTHERN 
IRAQ 
 
REF: ISTANBUL 0981 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  Karadeniz Toptan Elektrik 
Ticareti(Kartet) supplies electricity to Northern Iraq from a 
plant in SE Turkey.  Kartet Director Nuray Atacik told us 
that this year, delays in getting annual renewal of Kartet's 
fuel oil export permit and letter of credit from the 
Government of Iraq could force the plant to close in January 
2008.  This would cut electricity to one million Northern 
Iraqis, who likely would mistake this for a Turkish economic 
sanction.  Embassy Baghdad may wish to urge the Iraqi 
Ministry of Oil to take action on this issue.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) Kartet has a ten-year electricity supply contract 
with Iraq to 2013.  (Kartet also imports electricity from 
Iran, reported reftel.)  It exports electricity from a power 
plant located just north of Habur gate.  Since 2003, the 
amount of electricity supplied to Iraq has grown steadily. 
Currently, Kartet supplies 200 megawatts to 1 million Iraqis 
in Northern Iraq, approximately 10% of the total power in 
this region.  Its project represents the first private 
Turkish export of electricity abroad and was actively 
supported by the GOT as a project to help stabilize Iraq.  At 
the time of the contract signing, the press dubbed the 
project as a "friendship of power."  The contract is unique 
and includes a barter-like provision, trading heavy fuel oil 
from Iraq for electricity.  Very limited alternative uses for 
this type of fuel oil makes the arrangement ideal for Turkey 
(cheap input for electricity generation) and Iraq (export of 
low value, unwanted commodity).  Atacik admitted that the 
plant produces a lot of pollution, in large part due to the 
type of fuel oil used. 
 
3.  (SBU) Atacik described the cumbersome bureaucratic red 
tape that Kartet must go through each year to continue 
operations: (1) renew its license to export electricity with 
the Turkish Energy Markets Regulatory Authority; (2) renew 
its contracts with the Iraqi Ministry of Oil for the purchase 
of heavy fuel oil; and (3) ensure that the Iraqi Ministry of 
Finance opens a letter of credit for the purchase of 
electricity.  Last year, delays in the renewal of the fuel 
oil contract and letter of credit resulted in lack of fuel 
oil and reduced the plant's output to 10 percent of capacity 
in February 2007.  This year, Atacik said, its fuel oil 
reserves are lower and the electricity output higher, so any 
delay in fuel oil shipments could force the plant to close in 
January.  Atacik requested Embassy assistance in getting the 
necessary approvals from the government in Baghdad before the 
end of the year.  She noted that the renewal process with 
Turkish authorities was on-track. 
 
4.  (SBU) Comment:  This is not a U.S. investment and we have 
no commercial interest in Kartet's operations.  However, the 
press has widely reported that the GOT included cutting off 
of electricity exports to Iraq in a package of anti-PKK 
economic sanctions it approved (but did not implement) last 
month.   An inadvertent closure of Kartet's plant due to 
licensing delays likely would be seen by the Iraqis as the 
Turks imposing economic sanctions, unnecessarily increasing 
tensions between Iraq and Turkey.  Embassy Baghdad may wish 
to urge the Iraqi Ministry of Oil to issue Kartet its export 
permit and letter of credit in December, to keep Northern 
Iraq supplied with power in January. 
 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON