Türkiye’s energy market authority extends licenses post-quake

Türkiye’s Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) has granted
legal entities holding pre-license or generation licenses in the
electricity market and real and legal persons holding permits and
certificates in the natural gas market an exemption due to the
recent massive earthquakes that centered in Kahramanmaras and
affected 11 provinces, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

The decision was announced in the Official Gazette and
considered the earthquakes as a “force majeure” event, extending
the license holders’ terms without requiring any action from
them.

Starting on Feb. 6, when the massive quakes hit the region, the
EPDK extended pre-license and construction periods, as well as
liability postponement periods under temporary Article 15 of the
regulation for legal entities with pre-license or generation
licenses in the electricity market and real and legal persons
holding permits and certificates in the natural gas market.

This extension applies to deadlines for completing required
information and documents for pre-license or license applications
and amendment applications, as well as obligations related to
pre-license or production license amendment transactions, merger or
division transactions, and issuing production licenses.

However, applications related to electricity generation
facilities with storage are excluded.

Entities whose license terms have expired or will expire during
the state of emergency will have their terms automatically
extended, effective from the expiration date, without any
additional action required. The relevant main service office will
be authorized and provide notice of the extension.

Furthermore, the EPDK has announced that legal entities holding
generation licenses for electricity facilities planned to be
established or partially in operation in provinces where a state of
emergency has been declared or where disaster areas have been
declared, as well as legal entities with their headquarters in
these provinces, are exempt from submitting a progress report as
required by the second paragraph of Article 52 of the
Regulation.

In provinces where a state of emergency or disaster areas have
been declared, natural and legal persons with internal installation
and service lines certificates issued by natural gas distribution
companies can operate in the notified distribution regions by
providing their certificate number, date and personnel
information.

During the state of emergency, the certificates of those whose
certificate and visa expired or will expire after Feb. 6 will be
deemed valid without any additional action as long as they continue
to meet the relevant legislative requirements.

Moreover, distribution companies operating in the affected
provinces may employ actual and legal persons holding Construction
and Service Certificates for indoor installation activities in the
relevant distribution regions, provided that they provide their
certificate number, date, and personnel information.