What happened
Kardemir Çelik Sanayi has announced $18.275 million of financing for solar developments in the Turkish provinces of Van and Muş. According to the company’s disclosure, China’s state export credit insurer Sinosure is the source of the funding, and approval to draw on the credit was obtained on 29 September 2026.
The investment covers a 9.5 MWm, 8 MWe solar plant planned for Bulanık in Muş, alongside the Dibekli GES-1 and Dibekli GES-2 facilities in Van. The two Van plants are stated to have 23.5 MWm and 18 MWe of capacity. Kardemir describes its solar project programme as having 59 MW of capacity.
For energy and procurement teams, the immediate next step is to track construction progress against the company’s seven-month commissioning target and clarify how the stated 59 MW portfolio relates to the individual facilities identified in its announcement.
Why it matters
Kardemir estimates that, once the projects are running, solar generation could account for 10% of its overall electricity consumption. This gives the steel company a defined target for increasing the contribution of renewable electricity to its energy mix.
The proposed plants would build on existing generation assets reported by Kardemir: 19.7 MW of wind power, 4 MW of solar capacity and a 1 MW waste-heat recovery unit. The announcement does not set out further delivery stages beyond the intended operating date.
The financing is also notable because it identifies the credit provider and approval date, allowing stakeholders to distinguish a confirmed funding arrangement from an earlier-stage project proposal. However, the disclosed material does not provide information on project cost allocation, equipment suppliers, expected annual generation or grid connection arrangements.
What to watch
Kardemir aims to place the Van and Muş facilities into service within seven months of the credit approval. Progress updates on construction, final installed capacity and actual electricity supplied will determine whether the projects achieve the company’s estimate of covering one-tenth of its power demand.
