Turkish Minister of Energy Alparslan Bayraktar has reaffirmed plans to launch the first reactor of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in 2025, despite delays caused by the European side's refusal to supply essential equipment.
"Work at the Akkuyu site is progressing intensively. Our goal is 2025, a crucial year for us in terms of commissioning the first reactor. We expect it to be operational this year, even if only in a test mode. Overall, our objective is to complete construction of all four reactors as soon as possible. With the launch of the first unit this year, we hope to get closer to our long-standing goal of nuclear energy production, which Turkey has been striving for over the past 70 years," Bayraktar stated on TGRT television.
The minister also addressed project delays caused by European suppliers failing to deliver necessary equipment. "As you know, there was an unexpected delay. Europe did not supply the equipment it was supposed to. This is either a consequence of the Russia-Ukraine war or an excuse to impose sanctions on Russia. Naturally, we found an alternative, and a Russian company arranged for the equipment to be sourced from another country, which took some time," he explained.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak previously reported that Siemens failed to fulfill its obligations for equipment supply to the Akkuyu project, and negotiations with the company were unsuccessful. As a result, all required components were sourced from Russia-friendly countries and have already been delivered to the site.
Bayraktar also expressed optimism that 2025 will see progress toward finalizing agreements for the construction of two additional nuclear power plants in Turkey. "This year, discussions will continue with relevant countries and companies on nuclear projects in Sinop and Thrace. We will see how the process unfolds, but we hope to move forward with signing agreements. That is our goal," he said.
About Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant
Akkuyu is Turkey’s first nuclear power plant, being built by Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom. The project consists of four power units featuring Russian-designed Generation III+ VVER reactors, each with a capacity of 1,200 MW. According to the intergovernmental agreement, the first reactor must be commissioned within seven years of obtaining all necessary permits. Since the construction license for the first unit was granted in 2018, the target commissioning date remains 2025.
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Photo: Şinasi Müldür/Pixabay
Based on TASS materials