مساعٍ تركية لبناء 8 مفاعلات طاقة نووية ومحادثات مع 4 دول

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced today (Wednesday) that his country wishes to build 4 nuclear reactors, 4 of which will be in the northern province of Sinop and another 4 in the Thrace region, and is in talks with South Korea, Canada, China, and Russia.

The most competitive terms

Bayraktar stated in an interview with NTV that Turkey has not signed any agreements and will choose the project that offers the most competitive terms and the greatest contribution to localization.

Turkey and Russia signed an agreement in December 2010 for cooperation on the establishment and operation of the "Akkuyu" plant in Mersin.

Turkey signed a contract with the Russian company "Rosatom" to build 4 nuclear reactors in the south of the country, and construction of the first reactor, known as "Akkuyu 1," began in 2018, while engineers started construction of "Akkuyu 2" two years later, with the project expected to be completed by 2026.

In July 2022, the Russian company "Rosatom" announced that it had awarded the construction remaining operations at the $20 billion nuclear power plant in "Akkuyu" in southern Turkey to "TSM Energy."

"Akkuyu Nuclear," a subsidiary of "Rosatom," responsible for building 4 reactors at the site on the Mediterranean Sea, stated that it signed the construction contract with "TSM" after terminating its agreement with the Turkish company "IC Ictas."

Enhancing cooperation in energy sectors

Meanwhile, officials from Turkey and Canada held high-level talks yesterday (Tuesday) aimed at enhancing cooperation in the fields of energy and mining, focusing on joint investment opportunities and taking practical steps in the development of nuclear energy, as announced by Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.

Bayraktar clarified in a statement issued after his meeting with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in the capital Ankara that discussions addressed expanding bilateral relations in several vital sectors, including nuclear energy, oil, and natural gas, in addition to strategic minerals.

Deepening the partnership with Canada

The Turkish minister confirmed that his country seeks to deepen its partnership with Canada in the energy sector, noting that both sides comprehensively discussed ways to enhance existing cooperation and explore new investment opportunities that serve the interests of both countries.

Bayraktar emphasized that nuclear energy was a key focus in the discussions, pointing out Turkey's intention to take concrete steps in this area as soon as possible, reflecting Ankara's direction to accelerate the development of its nuclear program.

These discussions come at a time when Turkey continues to expand its nuclear energy capabilities, planning to establish two additional plants after the "Akkuyu" nuclear power plant, which is expected to see its first reactor operational this year.

In a related context, Ankara is working on the "Sinop" plant project on the Black Sea coast, seeking a binding offer from South Korea and the Korean Electric Power Corporation, in preparation for starting official negotiations, with a final decision on the project expected during this year.

The minister noted that there is Canadian interest in another nuclear project in the Thrace region, explaining that previous discussions addressed the use of Canadian "CANDU" technology in this project.

Turkey has set a long-term strategic goal of achieving a nuclear energy production capacity of 20 gigawatts by 2050, with 7.2 gigawatts to be provided through major projects, including the Akkuyu, Sinop, and Thrace plants, while the remaining capacity will be secured through small nuclear reactors.