Türkiye’s top energy official on Tuesday urged the removal of all trade and financial restrictions on nuclear technology, stressing atomic energy as essential to a sustainable future.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar framed nuclear power as a cornerstone of Türkiye’s long-term energy strategy and a critical tool in achieving the country’s ambitious climate goals.
Bayraktar used his speech via a video message at the 68th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna to outline Türkiye’s strategy to prioritize energy security and sustainable development.
At the heart of this plan, he emphasized, is the government’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions to net zero by 2053, a goal that, he noted, cannot be achieved without embracing nuclear power.
Türkiye is bracing for a steep rise in electricity demand – expected to increase by 4% annually over the next two decades – prompting Türkiye to accelerate the expansion of renewable energy sources alongside a significant push into nuclear power.
“We will prioritize renewable energy, but nuclear energy will serve as a fundamental pillar of our energy mix,” Bayraktar said.
Türkiye plans to add 7.2 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear capacity by 2035, with a longer-term goal of 20 GW by 2050, including small modular reactors (SMRs).
Focus on Akkuyu, future sites
Türkiye’s first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu, is under construction in the Mediterranean province of Mersin. It is being built by Russia’s state atomic energy corporation, Rosatom.
The $20 billion, 4,800 megawatt (MW) project includes four reactors, and would bring Türkiye into the small club of nations with civil nuclear energy.
Last year, nuclear fuel was loaded into the first power unit. The plant is ultimately expected to produce around 10% of local electricity production.
Türkiye and Russia signed the intergovernmental agreement for Akkuyu in 2010. Construction began in 2013 and picked up speed in 2018.
However, the plant’s opening has been delayed after Germany’s Siemens Energy withheld key parts, prompting Rosatom to buy them in China, Bayraktar said last week.
Siemens’s non-delivery will delay launching the Akkuyu’s first reactor by a few months, he said. The decision likely stems from Western sanctions over Russia’s war in Ukraine, he added.
Türkiye had initially planned to start up the first reactor in 2023, but delays have pushed that back to next year, with the remaining reactors to come online by the end of 2028.
Bayraktar said that Rosatom had already struck deals with Chinese companies to produce equivalent parts. He said Türkiye could consider fines against Siemens Energy.
On Tuesday, Bayraktar recalled plans for additional nuclear plants at second and third sites, which are under discussion. Reports have earlier suggested talks with China, Russia and South Korea for the construction of the plants.
Bayraktar’s remarks come amid a broader conversation about the role of nuclear energy in meeting global climate targets, especially following decisions made at COP28, the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
He positioned nuclear energy as indispensable to Türkiye’s energy security and global sustainability efforts, stressing that current sanctions and restrictions on nuclear technology serve only to slow progress toward these goals.
Shift in energy strategies
“We advocate for nuclear energy as part of a ‘better future.’ Therefore, we emphasize that all barriers, such as trade and financial restrictions and sanctions on the sector, must be removed,” Bayraktar said.
“These obstacles not only delay technological progress and economic growth but also jeopardize our ability to meet global sustainability targets,” he added, urging international policymakers to support the responsible development of nuclear energy rather than impede it.
Bayraktar’s appeal is likely aimed at a broader geopolitical context, where nuclear technology, even for peaceful energy purposes, remains heavily scrutinized and controlled, especially in non-Western countries.
The minister pointed out that nuclear energy plays an increasingly important role in helping Türkiye meet its Paris Agreement commitments, with a focus on reducing emissions in line with COP28 decisions.
Bayraktar’s comments also reflect a broader shift in global energy strategies, as countries weigh the benefits of nuclear energy – long controversial due to safety concerns and the potential for weaponization – against the urgent need to decarbonize electricity grids.
In recent years, major powers such as France and China have ramped up their nuclear programs, while others, including Germany, have phased out nuclear plants in favor of renewables.
Türkiye, however, is forging ahead with a hybrid approach, aiming to balance renewable investments with nuclear energy to ensure both energy security and lower emissions.
In a region often fraught with energy dependency on foreign powers, Türkiye’s nuclear ambitions are also a step toward reducing reliance on imported energy, particularly natural gas from Russia and Iran.
Bayraktar reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to peaceful and secure nuclear energy development, expressing continued dedication to close cooperation with the IAEA.
“Türkiye will remain fully committed to ensuring the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear energy,” he said. “We look forward to continuing our joint efforts to develop nuclear energy for the benefit of global prosperity.”
