A group of Turkish and Chinese investors and engineering companies is set to build a 1320-megawatt (2x660 MW) coal-fired thermal power plant in southern Turkey's Adana with an estimated investment of $1.7 billion.

The Emba Hunutlu Thermal Power Plant in Adana's Yumurtalık district will be constructed by EMBA Electricity Production Co. Inc., a joint venture between Chinese Shanghai Electric Power Co., Avic-Intl Project Engineering Company and two Turkish investors.

Songül Bayram, CEO of Mor Group, which will carry out the construction work on the project, along with officials from the Chinese company met Adana Governor Mahmut Demirtaş late Wednesday.

The executives claimed that the plant will use the latest technology in coal-fired power generation for minimal impact on the historic and natural beauty of the region.

The officials added that the plant will be stable, safe, efficient and environmentally friendly while hoping it will greatly contribute to the region's economy and particularly to that of Adana's.

The plant will have an installed capacity of 1320 MW and will produce around 11.5 gigawatt-hour (GWh) of electricity annually. The Emba Hunutlu Thermal Power Plant will receive an estimated investment of $1.7 billion.

The company received a TL 3.5 billion ($927 million) incentive certificate for the power plant project in May 2016. Meaning, it will benefit from value-added tax (VAT) exemptions of almost TL 3.5 billion and customs tax exemptions of around TL 767,660, as part of the Turkish government's scheme to support investments in imported coal-fired thermal power plant projects.

The project will also create employment opportunities for over 4,000 people during the construction phase. It will also employ some 500 individuals during the production phase, the EMBA Electricity Production Co. Inc. said on its official website.

Following his meeting with EMBA executives, Governor Demirtaş said Adana places great importance on domestic and foreign investments and has urged more investors to invest in the city, which he said has a great potential, especially for the energy sector.

It pleases us that environmentally friendly energy investments are being carried out in Adana, said Demirtaş.