State power companies in Turkey and United Arab Emirates have signed an agreement to invest in a $12 billion project to produce electricity in Turkey's Afsin-Elbistan region, Turkey's energy minister said on Thursday.

The Afsin-Elbistan project will provide the region in Turkey's south-east with 8,000 megawatts of power at full capacity, the companies said in a joint news conference. Initial operation is to start in 2018 and the full project be completed in 2021.

Turkey's state-owned Electricity Generation Company (EUAS) and Abu Dhabi National Energy Co (TAQA) in November signed a protocol regarding electricity production in the region, which includes a coal mine. – Reuters