Putin and Erdogan’s ATOMIC ALLIANCE: Russia and Turkey strike nuclear power deal
RUSSIA and Turkey have marked the official start of work to build Turkey’s first nuclear power station as construction of the $20 billion Akkuyu plant in the southern province of Mersin gets underway.
By SIMON OSBORNE
Express.co.uk
Wed, Apr 4, 2018
The plant will be built by Russian state nuclear energy agency Rosatom and will be made up of four units each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan marked the start to construction, watching by video link from Ankara.
Mr Erdogan said: “When all four units go online, the plant will meet 10 percent of Turkey’s energy needs
“In this way we will make our energy basket more robust, which now depends largely on oil, gas and coal.”
Speaking at a news conference with Mr Putin, the Turkish leader said the cost of the project may exceed the planned $20 billion for the 4,800 megawatt plant, part of his “2023 vision” to mark 100 years since the founding of modern Turkey and intended to reduce the country’s dependence on energy imports.
Since Russia was awarded the contract in 2010, the project has been beset by delays.
Last month, it emerged Akkuyu was likely to miss its 2023 target start-up date but Rosatom, which is looking for local partners to take a 49 percent stake in the project, said it remained committed to the timetable.
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