Russia to complete nuclear power plant in Türkiye next year – minister

One of Russia’s major energy projects in Türkiye, the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, will become operational next year, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told the Sabah newspaper on Tuesday. 

The $20-billion project, built in partnership with the Russian state nuclear giant Rosatom, will be the first such plant in Türkiye, and is expected to provide more than 10% of the country’s electricity needs. It should enable Ankara to reduce the cost of power generation and result in lower prices for consumers, according to Bayraktar.

“The generation (of electricity) at the first reactor will begin on October 29, 2024. Other blocks will be put into operation with an interval of one year,” the minister stated.

Bayraktar, who met with Rosatom chief Aleksey Likhachev in Ankara on Tuesday, tweeted later they “assessed the current state of affairs regarding the project to build the Akkuyu NPP, which is to become a next-generation facility for the Turkish energy sector.” 

The agreement for constructing and operating the station was signed by the countries in 2010. The plant will have four Russian-designed generation 3+ VVER reactors with a combined capacity of 4,800 MW, and a service life of 60 years. Once commissioned and brought to full capacity, it will produce about 35 billion kWh per year. The project is currently being funded completely by Russia.

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