The government has authorised the Energy & Natural Resources Ministry to start negotiations on turnkey contracts for the construction of four large, hydroelectric power projects on the Coruh river in the country's northeast. The projects, estimated to cost about $1,600 million in total, by financing with France and Austria (MEED 31:1:97).

Two of the plants, the 540-MW Yusufeli and the 332-MW Artvin dams, are being negotiated by a consortium led by France's Spie Batignolles. The consortium also includes France's Cegelec, GEC, Alsthom Electromechanique, Spie Enertrans and the local Dogus.

The Yusufeli dam will be 270 metres high, have a crest length of 410 metres and will impound 20.24 million cubic metres of water. The Artvin dam be 180 metres high, have a crest length of 278 metres, and will impound 950,000 cubic metres of water. The combined cost of the dams is expected to be around $600 million.

Two others, the 300-MW Borcka and the 115-MW Muratli dams, are being negotiated by a consortium led by Austria's Elin Union. The consortium includes Austria's Voest Alpine, JM Voith, Verbund Plan and locals Yuksel and Temelsu Uluslararasi Muhendislik.

Built from an embankment of rockfill and alluvium, the 86-metre-high Borcka dam will have a crest length of 728 metres and will impound a volume of 6.25 million cubic metres. Also an embankment, of concrete and asphalt coated rockfill and alluvium, the Muratli dam will have a height of 44 metres, a crest length of 483 metres, and will impound a reservoir of 2 million cubic metres.

A turnkey contract is expected by the end of the year as well for the $711 million, 670-MW Deriner hydroelectric power plant project on the Coruh river, according to State Hydraulics Works officials (MEED 22:8:97). The treasury is negotiating with the Swiss Banking Corporation for $300 million-350 million in financing to support a consortium led by Switzerland's ABB Power Generation, which is planning to build the dam, the officials say.