Turkey has started talks with South Korea over a lignite and power project that Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, Turkey's initial partner on the project, has delayed, said Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz.

Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil explorer and power supplier agreed in January with Turkey to build several power plants using lignite coal reserves in Turkey's Afsin-Elbistan region but earlier this week it announced the delay of the project.

Turkish energy industry sources told Reuters that the company was planning a complete pullout from the project.-Reuters