Tag: gpp

The GPP project is also surrounding Karlıova: The earthquake risk is very high

31 March 2026

Speaking about the planned geothermal power plant (GPP) project in the Varto and Karlıova region, Kasım Demiralp, a member of the Kanîrêş Ecology Platform, said: “Our goal is to provide the public with accurate information and raise awareness.”

The area where the Ignis company plans to operate in Varto and Karlıova is shown.

The people of Varto and Karlıova are protesting the approval of the geothermal power plant (GPP) project that Ignis plans to implement in Varto (Gimgim) and Karlıova (Kanîrêş), as the project crosses the Varto-Karlıova fault line and is expected to have negative ecological impacts.

The Karlıova Ecology Platform has been established to oppose the Geothermal Power Plant (GPP) project planned for six villages in the Karlıova district of Bingöl. The platform continues its activities with the aim of fighting against the destruction of nature in the region and GPP projects.

Speaking to Niha+ about the GPP project, which also covers the Karlıova region, Kasım Demiralp, a member of the Kanîrêş Ecology Platform, shared his views.

Demiralp stated that the purpose of establishing the Kanîrêş Ecology Platform is to protect nature and habitats in the region, as well as to bring together the people and villagers of Karlıova to provide them with accurate information and raise their awareness:

“We also aim to develop a culture of collective struggle and decision-making against those who threaten our lives. Taking the necessary legal steps, initiating legal proceedings with lawyers experienced in protecting ecology and wildlife habitats, and simultaneously working to develop the people’s unity and solidarity; our priority is to oppose activities carried out for investment purposes in our natural habitats.”

“We are building on the experiences of the resistance in Licik”

Referring to the planned exploitation of the streams and nature in the village of Kaynarpınar (Licik) in Karlıova last year, Demiralp spoke about the platform’s plans for the near future regarding the Ignis company’s geothermal power plant project:

“We are drawing on the experiences of our friends in the village of Kaynarpınar, Karlıova, who have shown their opposition to this destructive mindset through both legal means and their struggle to build a life where we can all live together. In this regard, we plan to properly inform the villagers through meetings and announcements, create broad public awareness, and secure everyone’s support on this issue.”

Demiralp, noting that no efforts had previously been made in Karlıova to protect the environment and natural habitats—and consequently, the local community lacked a foundation of awareness and organization—said it was important to inform people about what was to come.

The risk of earthquakes in the region is high

Explaining that the most critical aspect of the project is the physical and psychological devastation caused by an earthquake and its aftermath, Demiralp discussed the fault line beneath Karlıova:

“One of the active faults that geologists in Turkey have always emphasized is the Yedisu fault line, known as the North Anatolian Fault (KAF). Karlıova is located at the intersection of the North Anatolian Fault and the East Anatolian Fault (DAF). Drilling geothermal wells on and around active faults, and the extraction and subsequent reinjection of hot water from underground—where the water is pressurized and returned to the ground—carries the risk of triggering an earthquake. All the villages of Yedisu, Karlıova, and Varto face not only an ecological disaster but also the destruction caused by the significant risk of earthquakes. Despite all these scientific facts, this company continues to carry out operations that threaten the lives and livelihoods of the people living here. We will defend our nature, our forests, our springs, our streams, and our lives to the very end and continue our struggle in this direction.”

“We will protect our villages and our mountains”

Demiralp stated that they would fight against this project and thanked everyone who supports their resistance:

“As the people of this region, we have always been here, and we will continue to be here with our nature, our forests, our springs, our streams, our pastures, and our animals. We will always protect and guard our villages, our plains, and our mountains. As we carry out our struggle, we extend our gratitude to the valuable members of the press who voice our concerns, to all the non-governmental organizations that support us, and to the public.”

“Protecting our land is protecting our honor!”

In response to the environmental destruction caused by Ignis H2 Energy Inc., which extends from Varto to Yedisu, the people of Varto and Karlıova have announced that they will unite their efforts.

The recently established Varto Ecology Platform and Karlıova Ecology Platform have prepared a joint urgent appeal to political authorities and the general public against ecological destruction. The urgent appeal reads as follows:

URGENT MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF BİNGÖL AND MUŞ, THEIR REPRESENTATIVES, AND THE ENTIRE PUBLIC

This ancient landscape extending from Karlıova in Bingöl to Varto in Muş and along the Yedisu line is today the target of dirty deals and profit-driven projects being prepared behind closed doors. The licenses that have been obtained and the false reports being prepared are not only handing over our land but also sacrificing our people’s right to live, their future and their natural environment to capital. We are fully aware of the game being played!

These “energy” and “mining” projects being carried out in Karlıova and Varto are operations aimed at displacing the local population and depopulating our pastures. The unity of our people—who have lived side by side as brothers and sisters on this land for centuries, despite their different origins—is the greatest force capable of disrupting these profit-driven games.

Our Call to Our Representatives and Provincial Party Chairs:

Shout out against this plunder from the parliamentary podium! Stop this unlawful process through motions submitted to the Ministries of Agriculture and Energy. The women, youth, and all civil society organizations of Bingöl and Muş: this is not a party issue, but a matter of life and death.

We Will Not Let Them Profit!

Every signature that sacrifices our nature to capital steals from our children’s future. This line of resistance built from Karlıova to Varto will stand as an unshakable fortress against profit, plunder, and the massacre of nature. Protecting our land is protecting our honor!

Varto Ecology Platform and Kanîrêş Ecology Platform

The project is a death sentence for the local people

Ömer Faruk Hülakü, a member of parliament from Bingöl representing the Peoples’ Party for Equality and Democracy (DEM Party), stated during a press conference held in parliament on March 27 that GPP projects must be halted.

Hülakü noted that the fact that the GPP projects are to be built at a point where the North Anatolian Fault Line and the East Anatolian Fault Line converge makes them a death sentence for the people of Karlıova and Varto:

“Bingöl is the center of seismic activity. Permission is being granted to drill 1,000–2,000 meters deep at the exact point where the North Anatolian Fault and the East Anatolian Fault converge—in the region with Turkey’s most fragile fault lines. How can you present such a project proposal to the public?”

Opposition to the Varto’s GPP: “These lands are entrusted to us by Hızır”

30 March 2026 Doğa Tekneci

Local residents are protesting the geothermal power plant (GPP) project, which is set to be implemented in an area covering 16 villages and is planned to begin within the boundaries of the village of Xwarik (Çallıdere) in Varto.

In recent weeks, the Provincial Pasture Commission of the Muş Governor’s Office approved a “drilling project as part of a geothermal resource exploration project” to be carried out by IGNIS H2 Energy Production Inc., which directly affects 16 Kurdish-Alevi villages in Varto (Gimgim). The villagers submitted a petition of objection to the relevant governor’s offices regarding this project. The petitions were rejected by the governor’s offices.

Although geothermal energy is a renewable and sustainable energy source, studies have shown that it causes significant ecological damage due to its environmental impacts. Power plants, which are mostly built in areas with villages and agricultural lands, leave the village communities facing the threat of forced displacement. In many provinces, local residents claim that geothermal power plants (GPP), as well as mines and other energy projects, are causing harm to agricultural and livestock activities, water sources, and living areas.

What are these “GPPs”?

Local residents are voicing opposition to the GPP project, which will be implemented in an area covering 16 villages and will begin within the boundaries of the village of Xwarik (Çallıdere) in Varto.

Alev Yılmaz from the Varto Ecology Platform and Erdoğan Ödük, co-spokesperson for the Mesopotamia Ecology Movement, spoke to Niha+.

Alev Yılmaz from the Varto Ecology Platform stated that the geothermal power plant project threatens the villages, water sources, animals, and places of worship in the region, declaring, “We will not let Varto be taken over.”

IGNIS H2 Energy Production Inc.

IGNIS H2 Energy Production Inc., an American company that opened a branch in Yedisu, Bingöl in 2023 and operates in the Karlıova (Kanîreş) – Varto region; has obtained search licenses in the villages of Kızılağaç (Aynik), Kaynarpınar (Licik), Kantarkaya (Şorik), Ilıpınar (Çêrmûk), and Kargapazar (Qerxabazar), which are part of Karlıova in Bingöl.

The company states it aims to reach 1 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, and plans to conduct operations in the Varto-Karlıova region, where the North Anatolian Fault (KAF) and the East Anatolian Fault (DAF) intersect. Currently, the company aims to begin drilling 10 wells in Varto and Güzelkent, and the work it will carry out within an area of 453,494.83 square meters will cover approximately one-third of Varto.

“Who is this Ignis?”

Yılmaz, who has spoken against the projects of a company called Ignis seeking to operate in Varto, stated that they do not believe the company’s claims of “development”:

“Varto has been handed over to profit-seekers. There’s this company called IGNIS—we can barely even bring ourselves to say its name. What is Ignis? Who are they? Where do they come from? Why are they coming? Is IGNIS just saying, ‘I have nothing better to do, so I’ll go develop this distant, poor town of Varto’? Do you think something like that is possible?”

Yılmaz, noting that nothing the people do not want can be in the public interest, explained how the process began by pointing out that no details regarding the project had been shared with the public:

“IGNIS coming here isn’t new but we’re only hearing about it now. That’s the problem here. No one in the village knows anything about it. It’s a very high-handed situation on our land. These are our living spaces, our livelihoods, but the governor and the district governor are making the decisions. Even the current village head hasn’t been told anything to the people. They’ve spoken with the municipality. It’s claimed that very different things were told to the municipality.”

Yılmaz claimed that company representatives had held meetings with local representatives regarding the project, but the actual plans were being kept secret from the public.

“There is someone working for Ignis. They are meeting with the local bureaucrats, the governor, the district governor and the municipality. There is absolutely no mention of a geothermal power plant. They don’t say ‘We’re going to open up your 16 villages, settlements, and center of faith for profit.’ They say there’s hot water, and we’ll identify it. We’ll build thermal hotels, thermal pools and greenhouses. They say the villagers’ heating needs will be met here.”

“It’s impossible for this hot water to heat us.”

Yılmaz said that the company had made various promises to convince the local people but that they did not believe them:

“We won’t die if we don’t eat tomatoes all winter. They say they’ll heat our homes, but definitely we don’t want that either. We’ll heat ourselves with dung. Besides, we get 2.5 to 3 meters of snow here. There’s no way the hot water they’ll send through those pipes can keep us warm.”

They’ve already destroyed Goşkar Baba

Noting that the planned GPP project isn’t just about building a plant, Alev Yılmaz drew attention to the destruction that has already taken place:

“First, they came to us with the hydroelectric power plant. They plundered Goşkar Baba. They shattered the Goşkar villages and our mountains. They trapped our waters. Now they say they’ll build a geothermal power plant. They use fancy words, but we know it won’t be like that. We’re talking about 16 villages and their hamlets. Within these villages we have places of worship, our sacred sites—everything we hold dear. It’s certainly not limited to just 16 villages. We also know they’re after other mines, not just geothermal ones. Right now, who knows how many projects they have in the works that we’re not even aware of. No one is giving us any real information about this.”

Earthquake-prone region

Yılmaz, who reported that drilling is planned to reach a depth of 2500 meters, emphasized that Varto is an earthquake-prone region and that scientists’ warnings must be taken seriously. Yılmaz also reported that given the area’s status as an earthquake zone, a scientist had told them, “Don’t allow something like this.”

“They will destroy endemic species”

Alev Yılmaz, who stated that three drilling wells are planned to be opened in the village Bağdan, noted that this would disrupt the ecological balance in the region:

“When you go 3 km underground, the earth’s soil and mud will come out. There are substances in this mud. These will harm nature. When we ask, ‘What will you do with these?’ they say they’ll award the contract to local authorities. But the local authorities you’re talking about can’t even provide a shovel when we have a funeral. You’ll take them and dump them in Mengel River. There are red-spotted trout, an endemic species, in the Mengel River. You’ll kill them. You’ll disrupt the ecological balance. Here we have lynxes and chukar partridge. They live freely. We don’t touch them. Because all of these are entrusted to us by Hızır.”

In the Alevi faith, Hızır is regarded as an immortal wisdom figure who helps those in distress and those in need, provides relief from suffering, and symbolizes abundance and prosperity. Typically, during the second week of February, a three-day fast (Tuesday–Thursday) is held, rituals are performed, and lokma (kavut) is shared as a prayer for Hızır’s companionship and assistance.

“I want all the women to stand by my side”

Reminding everyone that the Çepanik Plateau, Gundêmîra, Dadina, and İnalı—all part of Varto—have been devastated by mining operations, Yılmaz stated her opposition to the company’s claims that “we will make you rich.”

Yılmaz concluded her remarks by stating that Varto’s ecology and cultural values must be protected:

“I’m afraid of snakes. I want to be afraid of snakes every day. I don’t want the bears to leave here. I want all women to stand by me as I continue this struggle. I want everyone to hear our voices. When they cut down Goşkar Baba, Grêboxa, Şehîdê Qawax, and Şehîdê Ciran, we’ll have nothing left. Let’s not abandon Varto. This is our village, our homes. If we withdraw our hands from Varto, Hızır will leave us too.”

Ödük: Projects will affect a wide geographical area

Erdoğan Ödük, Co-Spokesperson of the Mesopotamia Ecology Movement, stated that the Muş Ecology Platform has been established, noting that it was formed through the merger of organizations active in the region, such as the Varto Ecology Platform and the Goşkar Ecology Association.

Ödük expressed that the planned projects will affect not only Varto but a wide geographical area:

“Ultimately, this issue is not just Varto’s problem; it is a regional problem. There is currently a situation in the region where a geothermal energy field stretching from Varto to Karlıova and Bingöl Yedisu is being handed over. Last year, we also organized a large-scale protest there, in the Peri Valley.”

Eco-genocide policies have been implemented in the Goşkar Valley for a long time

Ödük emphasized that the eco-genocide policies that have been ongoing for a long time in Muş and the Kurdish regions are not only capital-oriented policies.

“For a long time, it has been claimed that eco-genocide has occurred in this region of Kurdistan during the war, yet even now, both domestic and foreign capital continue to commit eco-genocide in various forms across different areas. This is currently the situation in Varto, Muş. The region has already faced severe ecological destruction due to the Alparslan 1 and 2 dam projects in previous phases. Numerous villages were evacuated. Historical archaeological sites were submerged. Following that, there is another hydroelectric power plant (HES) project in the Goşkar Valley, carried out by Çağlar Elektrik in 2002.”

“Ecological destruction is also triggering migration”

Ödük noted that the exploitation in the Goşkar Valley affects not only nature but also social life, and continued:

“The last remaining water in the region is a spring called Ava Spî. Since the people there follow the Alevi faith, this situation is actually triggering migration in the region. These issues are not merely about ecological destruction; they also bring social problems in their wake.”

Companies are trying to break the resistance

“They told the villagers that a permit would be obtained, but they said it might happen or it might not. These are statements intended to break the resistance. However, it is not possible for an American company to come here, conduct no research, hand over 4 million dollars—which is the minimum cost of drilling—and then just open the well and leave.”

Success will be achieved if the area of resistance is expanded

Explaining that this is not merely a local issue, Ödük outlined the regional solidarity efforts they will carry out together with the people. Noting that village meetings and awareness-raising activities are ongoing in Varto, Ödük said they have also held meetings with members of parliament.

Unity of action in Varto

Emphasizing that the people’s role is decisive in the ecological struggle, Ödük highlighted that the plundering policies implemented in Kurdish provinces are based on more cultural and social factors compared to those in the West.

“The forests of the Black Sea are our too. The forests of India are our forests. But the difference is this: The current situation in the West revolves around a capital-centered dynamic. Here, the issue is not just capital. We saw this clearly with the Alpaslan 1-2 dams. We saw it with the dam planned for the Nerbüş River in Cizre. We saw it in the villages displaced as part of the GAP project. We saw it in the massive Ilısu Dam, in the destruction of Hasankeyf, and in the erasure of cultural memory. This situation is not merely a problem for the peoples living in Kurdistan.”,

Ödük stated that international and local environmental organizations must pay greater attention to the ecological destruction in Kurdish regions.

“We’ve managed to raise our voices for both the forests of the Black Sea region and the Kaz Mountains. Our friends are also working there to protest against the pesticides used in the Çukurova region. This nature is our shared living space. Once it’s gone, neither ideological divisions nor ethnic origins nor cultural distinctions will remain. Therefore, ecology organizations in the West must also approach Kurdistan in this way. In other words, when this place is gone, when it is devastated, they too will suffer the consequences.”

Varto Ecology Platform made press statement

Varto Ecology Platform issued a press statement on March 7, and DEM Party parlamenterian Sümeyye Boz Çakı also expressed her support for the platform members.

What are these “GPPs”?

30 March 2026 Doğa Tekneci

Eventhough geothermal power plants (GPP) are being constructed to provide energy, their ecological impacts are really high.

Photo of GPP.

Geothermal Power Plants (GPP) and Their Ecological Affects

What is Geothermal Energy?

Geothermal energy is the use of hot water and steam found deep within the Earth’s crust, brought to the surface to generate energy.

How is the Energy Produced?

Hot fluid extracted from deep drilling wells spins turbines and generates electricity.

Ecological Risk

Geothermal fluid may include arsenic, boron and various heavy metals. If this fluid mixes with the environment, it can affect water resources and soil. In addition, the heavy metals and gases in the fluid can cause air pollution.

Earthquake Risk: Geothermal fields are often established near active fault lines. Drilling activities and the injection of fluid underground can, in some cases, trigger micro-earthquakes. This phenomenon is referred to in scientific studies as “induced seismicity.”

Substances Found in GPP Fluids

Arsenic

Mercury

Boron

CO₂

Carbon dioxite

H₂S

Hydrogen sulphur

Chain of Impact of GPP Projects

Drilling

Deep drilling wells opened for geothermal energy can affect underground geology and water ecosystems by mixing chemicals into water. In addition, the discharge of high-temperature wastewater into rivers can alter mineral concentrations.

Groundwater

When geothermal fluid reaches the surface or when reinjection fails, groundwater may become contaminated.

Agriculture

Changes in water quality and chemical impacts on soil reduce agricultural production. Fig orchards and olive groves in the Aegean region are being damaged.

Livestock

The decline in agricultural production affects feed production. Livestock, a main source of livelihood in Kurdish regions, is therefore a sensitive sector.

Village Life

The weakening of agriculture and livestock affects the rural economy. Gases and heavy metals released into the air increase health problems such as cancer. This situation forces villagers to migrate.

Biodiversity

The expansion of plant areas and the discharge of geothermal fluids lead to the fragmentation of natural habitats. Endemic plant and animal species face the danger of extinction.

Geothermal Power Plants on Fault Lines

Geothermal energy fields mostly form along fracture systems and fault lines in the Earth’s crust. These fractures make it easier for underground hot water to reach the surface. A large portion of geothermal power plant (GPP) projects are concentrated along active fault lines in regions with high earthquake risk.

Power plant facilities, pipelines, and generators in high earthquake-risk areas may be damaged or explode. During earthquakes, uncontrolled leakage of geothermal wastewater may occur.

GPP → Soil → Crop yield → Relation of migration

In rural areas, energy projects can affect not only the environment but also the local economy. Considering the forced displacement policies historically experienced in Türkiye—especially in Kurdish regions—economic and social changes can be seen as a result of occupation policies.

GPP Activities
Drilling wells and plant sites spread over large areas.

Soil and Water
Changes in groundwater systems affect agricultural land and food production.

Crop Yield
In Aydın, fig and olive production is at risk. In Kurdish regions, the impact on pasture lands may affect livestock.

Rural migration
Weakening of agriculture and livestock farming can reduce livelihoods and accelerate migration.

How do GPP Projects Progress?

1. Exploration License: Companies apply to provincial governorships or special provincial administrations to obtain a geothermal exploration license.

2. Drilling: Deep wells are opened

3. EIA Progress: An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report is prepared by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.

4. Land Permits: Non-agricultural land-use permits are granted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

5. Expropriation: In some cases, expropriation may be carried out by presidential decree.

6. Plant Installation: Energy production begins.

Where Are GPPs Concentrated in Turkey?

Aegean Reagon: Aydın, Denizli and Manisa host the majority of geothermal power plants in Türkiye.
Central Anatolia: Konya and Nevşehir are also among the regions where exploration licenses are granted.
Kurdish Provinces: In recent years, geothermal exploration projects have come to the agenda around Muş and Bingöl.

How Large is Kızıldere GPP Area?

The Kızıldere geothermal field in Denizli covers approximately 528 hectares. This corresponds to an area roughly equal to 739 football fields. Across Türkiye, there are about 71 geothermal power plants.

GPP Statistics in Turkey

Around 71 geothermal power plant is found across Turkey.
46 of them are located in Aydın.
Kızıldere GPP area is approximately 528 hectares.
The exploration license area in Tokat covers 36,000 hectares.

Geothermal energy projects are met with opposition from local people in many regions. Due to concerns that agricultural land may be damaged, water resources affected, endemic species driven to extinction, and expropriation processes imposed, local people and ecological organizations are carrying out various forms of resistance and legal struggles. For this reason, the question of whether GPP investments truly serve the public interest continues to be debated in some regions.