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.