Launch of a new nuclear power plant unit in Turkey: Erdogan feigned peacefulness in front of Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin, together with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, took part in a ceremony via videoconference to mark the start of construction of power unit No. 3 of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in the Turkish province of Mersin.
Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev represented Russia in Turkey. He declared Akkuyu "the largest nuclear construction project on the planet," reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“Starting today, three power units are being built here on a full scale simultaneously. This is the only facility that is being built according to the build-own-operate scheme,” Likhachev said.
The head of the Turkish Ministry of Energy, Fatih Dönmez, called the Akkuyu nuclear power plant project one of the largest energy projects in the history of the Turkish Republic, which will contribute to Turkey’s energy security. According to him, the operation of the nuclear power plant is designed for 60 years, which will reduce environmental damage and cover 10% of Turkey's electricity needs.
Vladimir Putin recalled that at the Akkuyu site it is planned to build four power units with reactors with a total capacity of 4800 megawatts, which will be able to annually produce up to 37 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.
“At the Akkuyu NPP there is a Rosatom center for training technical personnel of the future station, and in Russian universities, as already mentioned, nuclear engineers are being trained for Turkey. Currently, more than a hundred Turkish students are receiving education in Russia, who will later be employed by Akkuyu.
The total number of Turkish graduates this year will exceed two hundred people. Thus, by the start of commissioning work at the nuclear power plant, a sufficient number of national personnel will be trained for the Turkish nuclear industry,” Putin said.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that 16 thousand people are currently working on the construction of the nuclear power plant, and after its completion, 4 thousand people will work permanently.
“186 of our students, who studied for 6,5 years, have returned to our country and will now work to ensure that nuclear energy develops,” Erdogan said.
According to him, the first reactor at Akkuyu will be launched in 2023.
“We want Russian tourists to come. We are for safe tourism. I want to thank Mr. Putin and all those who contributed their efforts to the implementation of this project,” Erdogan said.
He also expressed hope that he would soon meet with Putin “face to face.”
Launch of a new nuclear power plant unit in Turkey: Erdogan feigned peace in front of Putin