Photo taken on Dec. 27, 2024 shows the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant under construction in Mersin, Türkiye. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)
ANKARA, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye is planning to build three nuclear power plants by 2035, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar confirmed in an interview with Hurriyet Daily News on Friday.
"We absolutely need two more large conventional nuclear power plants, one in Sinop and another in the Thrace region," Bayraktar stated. "2025 will be a pivotal year for us as we decide on the technology and model for these plants."
The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, Türkiye's first, is scheduled to begin electricity generation in 2025. The plant's initial reactor, with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts, is expected to meet 2.5 percent of the country's electricity demand. Once fully operational, with a total capacity of 4,800 megawatts, Akkuyu will supply 10 percent of Türkiye's electricity needs.
Bayraktar also emphasized the economic benefits, noting that Akkuyu will reduce the import of 7 to 7.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas, saving Türkiye approximately 3 billion U.S. dollars annually.
To reach its 2035 energy target, Türkiye plans to develop two additional nuclear plants -- one in Sinop, on the Black Sea coast, and the other in Thrace. Together, these projects will increase Türkiye's nuclear energy capacity to 7,200 megawatts. ■
Photo taken on Dec. 27, 2024 shows the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant under construction in Mersin, Türkiye. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)
