Turkey Charges Ahead With Its First Nuclear Power Plant

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Turkey is set to make inroads into nuclear power generation with its first nuclear power plant, the 'Akkuyu Nuclear Power Station.

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Located in Buyukeceli, the development of the Akkuyu nuclear power station is a major breakthrough for the country as it currently lacks an operational nuclear plant. Being built by Russia's Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation (Moscow, Russia), the Akkuyu nuclear power facility has four units under development that are being constructed on build-own-operate basis.

As tracked by Industrial Info, each unit has an operational capacity of 1,200 megawatts (MW) and an overall capacity of 4,800 MW. With Unit 1 projected to start trial production by the end of this year and expected to become fully operational by mid-2026, Turkey is likely to become home to the-third largest nuclear power pipeline globally.

Once fully functional, the Akkuyu plant is anticipated to meet 10% of Turkey's energy demand. At present, Turkey relies heavily on coal-fired power plants for its power production needs. With coal power stations accounting for 35% of Turkey's electricity supply last year, coal holds a substantial position in the nation's energy mix. Although coal-fired power plants in Turkey generated a record 121 terawatt-hours (TWh) \of electricity in 2024, they also contributed 153.5 metric tons of CO2 to the environment. Hence, Turkey became the biggest contaminator from fossil fuel-fired power production across Europe in 2024. With the development of the Akkuyu nuclear power station, Turkey is anticipated to cut down on its overall carbon footprint and also expand its current power output. For instance, one VVER-1200 (Vodo-Vodyanoi Energeticheskiy Reaktor), a type of pressurized water reactor, can replace 124,500 train cars of hard coal.

However, despite the substantial progress in overall construction, the plant faces headwinds before reaching completion. According to IIR, this project, which began construction in 2018, has faced several kickoff slippages in the past. Furthermore, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has caused delays in the project, with Rosatom reporting difficulties in procuring certain parts from Russian suppliers. While the remaining three units of the Akkuyu plant are expected to become operational in the next three years (by 2028), how many of them actually reach fruition at their scheduled timeline remains to be seen.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).