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Kalyon Holding, which draws attention with its investments in construction, energy, infrastructure and education, is celebrating its 80th anniversary. Kalyon Holding Board Chairman Orhan Cemal Kalyoncu noted that they have fit unique projects into 80 years. Answering our questions at the Solar Energy Plant in Konya Karapınar, Kalyoncu said, "We have taken on the responsibility of some projects by seeing them as national issues and national projects. We have strived to do the best in the areas we operate in."

On the occasion of Kalyon Holding's 80th anniversary celebration, Kalyon Holding Chairman Orhan Cemal Kalyoncu met with press representatives at the Kalyon Karapınar Solar Power Plant in Konya. Cemal Kalyoncu took the press members on a tour of the Karapınar Solar Power Plant, which was built with an investment of 1.2 billion dollars and is the largest solar power plant in Europe, and explained his investments in the construction, energy, infrastructure and education sectors.
KalyoncuHe stated that they transformed The Karapınar solar power plant alone produces 3 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year. The area where our plant is located is the Acıgöl Basin. The panels we use here were produced in our Kalyon PV factory in Ankara with a local content rate of up to 90 percent. We provided most of the financing for our Karapınar GES project from abroad. We received the best financing awards both in the green energy field and internationally for this project.a 20 million square meter desert into a renewable energy plant with the Karapınar Solar Energy Plant project .

KalyoncuHe said , “ Thus, we have brought foreign investment to our country. With our renewable energy investments that have reached an installed capacity of 3,000 megawatts, we produce 6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually and meet almost 2 percent of our country's annual electricity needs from renewable energy alone."They took over 50 percent of Kalyon Energy with International Holding Company, one of the largest holdings based in Abu Dhabi, as a partner .

Emphasizing that they have signed projects that are a source of national pride for Turkey, such as the Istanbul Airport, the Northern Marmara Highway, the TANAP and Northern Marmara Natural Gas Project, the TRNC Sea Passage Transmission Line and the Azerbaijan-Ahmedbeyli-Horadiz-Minicivan Ağbend highway , Cemal Kalyoncu continued with figures:

In 80 years, we have installed 16 thousand houses, 2 thousand bed hospitals and health facilities, 680 kilometers of highway, 664 kilometers of rail system, 200 kilometers of metro line, 42 kilometers of metrobus line, 1,200 kilometers of water pipeline, 1,000 kilometers of natural gas pipeline, 5,600 megawatt renewable energy portfolio, 2 gigawatt capacity local solar panel production factory, 2 thousand 478 megawatt solar power plants, 720 megawatt wind power plants and 343 megawatt hydroelectric power plants.

Stating that they strive to do the best in the fields they operate Kalyoncu, "We are trying to be the first; we are bringing technologies that do not exist in Turkey to our country, we are trying to make productions that have not been done before. This situation provides great added value to our country especially in terms of R&D and new technology usage. Another big brand that we have brought to our country is Istanbul Airport. İGA is the biggest infrastructure investment in the history of the Republic. We made 8 billion euros of the 10 billion 250 million euro investment with our credit and own resources without spending a single lira from the state budget. It is a project whose project, financing, construction and operation were completed in just 48 months. We have a commitment to pay the state 22 billion 152 million euros + VAT in the tender in 25 years."

He said , “The Northern Marmara Highway is a very strategic transportation project between Istanbul and Ankara that will take on a great burden not only in the near future but also today Cemal Kalyoncu,. ”The operating period will end in 2029 and 2030 and we will transfer it to our state. In other words, we have built it, operated it, and are giving it to the state. If the state were to undertake these projects today, it would probably cost more than 12-13 billion dollars and would most likely take a long time. Those who criticize this project do not know or do not want to know that the project will only be operated by us for 9 years and will be transferred to the state in 2030.

Cemal Kalyoncu, who informed that the localization rate of the panels they produce in Ankara is 90 percent and that they supply the rest largely from Malaysia, stated that they will add new ones to their investments in the field of energy. Kalyoncu said, “ With the strategic partnership we have made with the International Holding Company, we are planning to invest over 5 billion dollars in renewable energy in the next 5 years .”

Kalyoncu from Trabzon became a contractor in Bitlis
Kalyon Holding’s 80-year story begins with Mehmet Kalyoncu, who was originally from Trabzon, working in construction in the Tatvan district of Bitlis in 1944 after completing his military service. Reminding that his father, the late Mehmet Kalyoncu, started the activities as a contractor and continued them under the roof of Kalyon Construction in 1974 with his brothers, the late Ahmet and Hasan, Cemal Kolyancu provided the following information: “In the 70s and 80s, we built many mass housing, hotels, public buildings, and residential areas in Turkey and abroad. We thought hard about what we could do other than contracting. In 1989, we established the window systems factory Kalpen PVC, and in 1992, we established the pet bottle and preform factory Kalpet.” Noting that they changed their route to the energy sector in 1993, Kalyoncu listed their work as follows: “During the electrical energy crisis experienced in Turkey during those years, we realized our country’s first energy import by producing energy in Georgia. In 1994-1995, we completed the Ömerli Dudullu Transmission Line in a period of 8 months. In 2000, the Ordu and Giresun Hydroelectric Power Plant began operating. In 2006, the Metrobüs Project, which was implemented for the first time in Turkey, was implemented. Metrobüs broke new ground in Istanbul transportation and provided great relief. In 2007, we completed the Ataköy Wastewater Treatment Plant, Europe's largest advanced biological wastewater treatment plant.

Kalyoncu, who stated that taking on a new partner for Istanbul Airport Operations Company İGA is not on their agenda for now, said that they are not considering going public on the Stock Exchange either. Kalyoncu clarified the issue of İGA’s rent postponement as follows: “I had said that we made 8 billion Euros of İGA investment with our loans and equity capital without a single lira from the state budget. We are making our rent payments in full and without delay on the relevant schedule and amount. During the pandemic, the airport was inevitably closed. During the closed period, our credit obligations and general expenses continued. We were given additional time for the period the airport was closed. Our payments were inevitably postponed to a later date. We will pay the closed period rent with interest by accruing interest on the rent covering the extended period. The total amount we will pay in 25 years is 22 billion 152 million Euros + VAT and the difference in the number of additional passengers.”

Stating that they have other investments around the airport, Cemal Kalyoncu gave the following information: “Of course, we are planning some investments like Airport City next to the airport. We have prepared projects that will include business centers, offices, storage areas and many commercial activities next to the airport, hopefully they will be ready towards the end of next year. For example, we are opening a 1,000-bed hotel there again, outside the airport, at the end of this year. The operator will be Hilton.”

When asked about the tax amnesty claims, Kalyoncu said the following: “We do not owe a single penny in taxes to the state and there is no tax amnesty for us. We are one of the companies that pay the most taxes in Turkey. As Kalyon Holding, we make all our tax payments on time and in full within the terms and periods determined by law. We have no debts in this regard. In addition, we have won all the lawsuits we have filed against those who spoke negatively about us regarding the tax amnesty.”

Kalyoncu gave the following answer to the question, “Did the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality elections affect the work you do?”: “ No, it did not. There were works given in addition to our existing contracts. Our priority while doing work is to serve. If we do it, we try to do the best. We are always very proud to serve Istanbul.”

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