The first nuclear reactor in Turkey is undergoing intensive testing and is expected to become operational shortly, according to Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, as reported by the Anadolu Agency and cited by DPA and Reuters.
Bayraktar presented an analysis of Turkey’s energy policy, developed in collaboration with the International Energy Agency (IEA). Earlier this month, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the expansion of joint nuclear energy projects with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The construction of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant is being carried out by Rosatom, a state-controlled Russian company, at Akkuyu in the Mersin province along the Mediterranean coast, based on a $20 billion agreement signed in 2010. The plant, designed to have a capacity of 4,800 megawatts, was originally slated to be operational this year, but its inauguration has been delayed.
Initially, the first of the four reactors was expected to start operation by 2025. Once completed, the plant is anticipated to supply approximately 10% of Turkey’s electricity needs, equivalent to the consumption of the metropolitan area of Istanbul.
Last week, Erdogan announced plans to take measures for the construction of new nuclear plants following the operational launch of the Akkuyu unit.
Turkey is expanding its nuclear energy initiatives to reduce dependence on energy imports and to decarbonize its energy production. Furthermore, the Turkish news agency Anka reported, citing officials from the Ministry of Energy, that a nuclear waste storage facility is planned to be built by 2035 in Polatl, near Ankara. However, the government has yet to confirm these construction plans.
Turkey’s plans include developing nuclear capacities exceeding 20 gigawatts by 2050. In addition to the Akkuyu plant, a second nuclear facility is planned for the Black Sea coast in the Sinop region, while a third nuclear power plant is expected to be established in the Thrace region of northwest Turkey.
