Erdogan signals new nuclear plant projects with Russia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Tuesday that Turkey plans to pursue new nuclear power plant projects with Russia, deepening an energy partnership that is likely to draw scrutiny from Western allies as the war in Ukraine continues.

Erdogan made the remarks while sitting alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. "Together with Russia, we will also take steps toward launching some new plants following the opening of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant," Erdogan said, according to Reuters and Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency.newsday+1

Putin, for his part, called Turkey "one of our privileged partners" in both foreign policy and economic spheres and expressed confidence that Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear corporation, would launch the first power unit at the Akkuyu plant this year.news

Akkuyu Nears Completion

The Akkuyu nuclear power station, located on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, has been the centerpiece of Russian-Turkish energy cooperation since an intergovernmental agreement was signed in 2010. Rosatom is building four VVER-1200 reactors at the site under a build-own-operate model, with a combined capacity of 4,800 megawatts expected to cover roughly 10% of Turkey's electricity needs.energynews+1

Construction on Unit 1 began in 2018, and nuclear fuel arrived at the site in April 2023. Erdogan said the first unit has entered its "final phase". Meanwhile, Rosatom recently completed welding of the main coolant pipeline for Unit 2's primary circuit, a process that took 73 days and involved 32 pipeline joints subjected to ultrasonic and radiographic testing.news+1

Western Concerns and Turkey's Energy Dependence

The expansion of nuclear ties comes at a sensitive moment. Turkey, a NATO member, has faced persistent criticism from Western allies over its relationship with Moscow. Turkey is heavily dependent on energy imports, with about 70% of its energy needs met by foreign sources. Russian imports to Turkey were valued at $42.37 billion last year, with energy accounting for $29.8 billion of that total, according to United Nations trade figures cited by the Associated Press.newsday

Beyond Akkuyu, Turkey has broader nuclear ambitions. Ankara has discussed building a second plant at Sinop and has held talks with China over a third site in the Thrace region. The country is also developing plans for small modular reactors, aiming to add 5 gigawatts of capacity by 2050.energynews