Following 2016, when many developments were experienced and financial markets were restless due to the increased uncertainties, Limak Investment has completed 2017 successfully and has been able to continue its growth with the investments continued in the areas where it operates.
The installed power will reach the level of 1,420 MW approximately in the field of renewable energy, once the hydroelectric power plants under construction are completed in addition to those that are available. In 2017, Kargı HEPP of approximately 100 MW power has started generation, Çetin HEPP with 528 MW installed power under construction has been taken over and the construction of 58 MW Gürsöğüt HEPP has been started. The renewable energy portfolio of Limak Investment will reach 1,455 MW, when Isparta Gönen of 5.7 MWp capacity that has been taken into operation last year and is the first solar power plant of the group, the 15.8 MWp Konya Apa Power Plant Station under construction and the 14.1 MW Buharkent Geothermal Power Plant are included. Meanwhile, in the field of thermal power generation, the renovation made at the Hamitabat Natural Gas Combined Cycle Power Plant with 1,156 MW installed power as aimed for high efficiency has been completed at the end of the year, and has been taken into operation as one of the most efficient natural gas combined cycle power plants of our country. On the other hand, all necessary preparations have been completed and contracts have been signed in the rehabilitation investments planned for Yeniköy and Kemerköy Coal Power Plants with 1,050 MW installed power.
Limak Investment, which is one of the largest private sector producers in Turkey by its balanced electrical energy generation portfolio composed of renewable and primarily hydroelectric, natural gas and domestic coal power plants, carries out wind and solar energy licensing processes in many regions.
In the field of energy distribution, the company has reorganized and taken the entire Uludağ region under its operation, while it transferred the Boğaziçi, Akdeniz and Çamlıbel electricity distribution companies to its partners. As of the end of 2017, it has distributed electricity over 17 billion kWh to more than 3.560 million subscribers including the Kosovo electricity distribution company. Furthermore, it has sold approximately 13 billion kWh electivity in Turkey in general and Kosovo, through the retail companies in these regions. Limak Investment, which serves with loss and illegal use ratios and operating expenses below the country averages in its operations in Turkey, has implemented investments of almost 232 million TL in the field of distribution and retail in 2017 in order to increase its efficiency, service quality and customer satisfaction even further.
The growth of Limak Investment has also continued in the field of electricity trade and retail sales. The energy trade volume that was 1.9 billion kWh in 2013, has exceeded 7.3 billion kWh in 2017.
In airport management, Limak Investment has served 1.75 million passengers last year at the Adem Jashari International Airport in Kosovo. Meanwhile in Turkey, the investments for the Istanbul New Airport project, which is the most important project of the aviation sector, are continued at top speed, and the first phase of the project is targeted to be completed in 2018. The airport will be able to serve over 200 million passengers in total annually when all phases are completed, and will be included among the numbered airports of the world.
Both the number of passengers and commercial visitors continue by increasing at Ankara High-Speed Train Station, which is first and only high-speed train station project in Turkey. The Ankara High-Speed Train Station and Living Center, which also houses a shopping center with a selected store mix, a business hotel and leasable offices, and hosted more than 100 thousand visitors per day in 2017, has started to contribute in the Turkish economy in the commercial sense, in addition to the revolution it has made in transportation.
In port management, the LimakPort İskenderun that has completed the 1 million TEU container handling investment plan in 2014, has achieved significant increases in container volumes every year. The number of container lines has reached 13 at the port, which serves a wide hinterland composed of Adana and the east. Direct services to North West Europe have started to be provided in 2017 in addition to Far East and Middle East services that are made regularly on weekly basis. On the other hand, additional investment activities have been carried out with the goal to serve larger container vessels. The 2018 objective of the port is to increase the diversity and number of its services, and at the same time, make additional investments that will serve larger container vessels.
In 2018, Limak Investment will continue to complete its ongoing investments, follow up on new project opportunities in its fields of activity and its studies aimed to increase its operational and financial efficiency in the available projects. Limak Investment’s priority is to create value for its shareholders, employees and all stakeholders that it interacts with, in addition to its achieving financial objectives, also in 2018.