Nuclear energy in Turkey

Turkey has begun preliminary talks with US-based Westinghouse Electric Company on the construction of a third nuclear plant in the country.

The news was announced in a Westinghouse statement.

Turkey has entered exclusive preliminary talks with U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric Company, part of Japan’s Toshiba group, on building the country’s third nuclear power plant, Westinghouse said.

The talks will continue for six months and will be conducted by Turkish state-owned electricity generation company EÜAS, Turkish energy officials said Nov. 25.

Turkey plans to launch the construction of its first nuclear power plant (NPP) in March or April next year, Energy Minister Taner Yıldız has said.

in 2011, Russia's Rosatom signed a deal with Turkey's Energy Ministry to build and operate the nuclear power plant, which will be located near Akkuyu, in the southern province of Mersin on the Mediterranean coast.

The construction of the nuclear power plant in Akkuyu will start next spring, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız stated in a press conference on Oct. 10.

The Energy Ministry says a controversial draft law that will lead to the destruction of olive groves “is necessary” for the construction of Turkey’s first nuclear plant planned in the southern coast amid a mounting campaign against the plans.