Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

Turkish authorities plan to build three nuclear power plants in the country by 2035, Azernews reports.

"We need two more large nuclear power plants: one in Sinop and the other in Thrace. The year 2025 will be a turning point for us, as we will determine the technology and models for these stations," said Alparslan Bayraktar, Turkiye’s Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.

Turkiye's first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu, is set to begin generating electricity in 2025. The first reactor is expected to produce 1,200 MW of electricity, which will meet approximately 2.5 percent of Turkiye's energy needs. Once all four reactors are operational, Akkuyu will have a total capacity of 4,800 MW, providing around 10 percent of the country's total energy consumption.

According to Bayraktar, the launch of Akkuyu NPP will enable Turkey to significantly reduce its dependence on natural gas imports, cutting 7-7.5 billion cubic meters of gas annually and saving approximately 3 billion U.S. dollars.

Akkuyu NPP is a major project being built in collaboration with Russia's Rosatom and represents Turkiye's commitment to diversifying its energy sources and reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.

The construction of two additional nuclear plants in Sinop and Thrace is part of Turkiye's broader strategy to meet the growing energy demands of its population and support its ambitious industrial growth.

The use of nuclear energy in Turkiye is seen as a crucial step towards energy independence and a move to meet Turkiye’s climate goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.