"While Türkiye aims to commission its first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu, in the southern province of Mersin by 2026, it is also in talks with Russia, China, Canada, and South Korea to build additional nuclear power plants," said the Minister of Energy of Türkiye, Alparslan Bayraktar, in an interview with Anadolu Agency.
In the interview, Bayraktar stated that Türkiye plans to raise its nuclear energy production capacity to 20,000 megawatts by 2050. Bayrak added that, to achieve this objective, negotiations are currently ongoing with the four relevant countries regarding the construction of a new nuclear power plant in the Thrace region and Sinop along the Black Sea coast.
The Minister emphasised that Turkish authorities are "exerting every effort" to ensure the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant is brought into operation by 2026. The construction of the power plant's first reactor is 95% complete, reported the Minister.
Bayraktar also noted that a draft law on small modular reactors (SMRs) will be brought to the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (GNAT) following its summer recess. The Minister underscored that these reactors are "crucial for the future of nuclear energy."