Chinese company sends staff back to Turkey for thermal power plant construction

HEFEI -- A total of 238 construction personnel from China Energy Engineering Group have returned to Turkey to resume construction of the Hunutlu Thermal Power Plant in the country's southern province of Adana, sources with the company said Monday.

The staff members from Anhui No 1 Electric Power Construction Co Ltd under China Energy Engineering Group departed the eastern Chinese province Anhui on Saturday and arrived in Turkey on Sunday. They had returned to China for the Chinese New Year, but were unable to go back to Turkey due to the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the company.

The company arranged a special team to facilitate the return of its staff members as the construction project was affected due to the absence of the working staff. The team helped the construction personnel apply for visas, undergo nucleic acid tests and health checks, and equipped them with medical supplies.

The power plant is a key project linking the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative with Turkey's "Middle Corridor." Upon completion, the plant will have an installed capacity of 1,320 megawatts of electricity.