Law including amendments to the Mining Law and certain other laws published in the Official Gazette

The law including amendments to the Mining Law and certain other laws has been published in the Official Gazette.

Within the scope of the amendments, new paragraphs have been added to the Coastal Law No. 3621. Accordingly, excluding reservoirs and wetlands used for drinking and utility water supply, as well as coastal and shoreline strips covered under the aforementioned law, renewable energy production plants may be established without the need for zoning plans in areas declared as renewable energy resource areas by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources in seas, dam lakes, artificial lakes, and natural lakes.

In these areas, legal entities holding pre-licenses or production licenses based on hydraulic resources may establish multi-source production facilities based on renewable energy resources. In the designated areas, unlicensed electricity production facilities based on renewable energy resources may be established by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) or, with the permission of the General Directorate, by irrigation unions to meet the electricity needs of agricultural irrigation facilities belonging to the DSİ General Directorate or irrigation unions.

Furthermore, in the aforementioned areas located within municipal boundaries, relevant municipalities and their affiliated organizations may establish unlicensed electricity production facilities based on renewable energy resources with the permission of the DSİ General Directorate.

With the amendment made to the Natural Gas Market Law No. 4646, the definition of "liquefaction of natural gas: the liquefaction of natural gas produced domestically and/or imported for the purpose of exporting it abroad or reselling it domestically" has been added.

The following provision has been added to the aforementioned law: "Legal entities that will operate liquefaction facilities to be established for the purpose of liquefying natural gas produced domestically and/or imported for export abroad or resale domestically are required to obtain a license from the Board. Legal entities applying for a natural gas liquefaction license must possess technical and economic strength and meet other conditions specified in the regulations.

Activities carried out in liquefaction facilities are not considered storage activities. Liquefaction facility operators are responsible for ensuring that the facilities they operate are constructed and operated in accordance with relevant standards and technical criteria. Procedures and principles regarding activities to be carried out in liquefaction facilities are determined by the Board after obtaining the opinion of the Ministry."

The following definitions have been added to the Energy Efficiency Law No. 5627: "Applicant: natural or legal persons wishing to benefit from energy efficiency support," "Carbon intensity: the amount of carbon dioxide emissions released per unit of product and/or area or similar," and "Specific energy consumption: the amount of energy consumed per unit of product and/or area or similar."

Within the scope of the amendment made to the Nuclear Regulation Law No. 7381, the operator may transfer the obligation to obtain insurance or provide collateral regarding the transport of nuclear materials to the carrier, subject to obtaining necessary approvals, through explicit provisions to be included in the written contract with the carrier stating that the carrier has requested this and the operator has consented. The carrier that assumes the obligation will be responsible as the operator under the law.

A provisional article has been added to the Electricity Market Law No. 6446. Accordingly, except for those who have acquired rights due to contracts signed as a result of renewable energy resource area tenders, legal entities wishing to terminate their existing production licenses, pre-licenses, or license applications, or to amend them by reducing installed capacity before the effective date of this article, will have their licenses, pre-licenses, or license applications terminated or amended, and their collaterals will be partially or fully returned as appropriate, provided they apply within two months following the effective date of this article.

Legal entities wishing to cancel their contracts signed as a result of renewable energy resource area tenders will have their relevant contracts and all rights and obligations under those contracts terminated, their production licenses, pre-licenses, and pre-license/license applications will be terminated, and their collaterals will be returned, provided they apply to the Ministry within two months following the effective date of this article.