Turkey targets 20 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2050

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has announced that Turkey aims to achieve a nuclear power generation capacity of at least 20 gigawatts by 2050. Speaking at the Russian Energy Week in Moscow, Bayraktar noted that nuclear energy will be a fundamental component of the country's future energy mix to meet rising demand.

Energy demand in Turkey is increasing steadily, with air conditioning accounting for approximately 19 percent of the increase recorded last year. The Minister also highlighted that technologies such as seawater desalination are expected to drive further electricity demand. To address this, Turkey plans to expand its power generation capacity and infrastructure by utilizing renewable sources and improving consumption efficiency.

Construction is currently underway on four reactors at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Mersin province, in collaboration with Russia's Rosatom. Bayraktar expressed hope that the first unit will begin electricity generation in the coming months. Future plans include developing nuclear plants in Sinop province and the Thrace region. The national strategy involves a need for at least 12 large traditional nuclear reactors, alongside the potential use of small modular reactors.