Spotlight: Turkey's first nuclear power plant project goes forth despite setbacks
                 Source: Xinhua | 2018-04-04 00:27:51 | Editor: huaxia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomes his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, on April 3, 2018. (Xinhua/Turkish Presidential Palace)

By Burak Akinci

ANKARA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- A groundbreaking ceremony with attendance of Russian and Turkish presidents via a video teleconference was held Tuesday for Turkey's first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu Nuclear Plant, a strategic choice for Ankara facing setbacks but a powerful symbol of the deepening cooperation with Moscow.

"The successful implementation of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant will be a symbol of the dynamic development of Turkish-Russian partnership," Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the video teleconference.

The plant is located at Akkuyu in the Mediterranean province of Mersin. It will ultimately have a 4,800-megawatt capacity of installed power and will cost some 20 billion U.S. dollars.

The first unit of the plant which will have four reactors, is due to be launched in 2023, while the other units will be commissioned one by one in the following years.

The plant is expected to generate an average of 35 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually when it reaches its full potential in 2023, the centennial of modern Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's "2023 vision" of major investment and infrastructure programs.

The groundbreaking ceremony of Turkey's first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, was held Tuesday with the participation of Turkish and Russian presidents via a video teleconference from capital Ankara. (Xinhua photo)

A first ground-laying for the plant was planned for April 2015, but it did not take place because the major project signed in 2010 was halted when Turkey downed a Russian warplane near the Syrian border a couple of months earlier, plunging bilateral ties into a crisis mode.

Ankara and Moscow reconciled after a series of high level talks and the project restarted with a fresh impetus yet several delays and some funding issues pushed the finishing deadline from 2019 to 2023. A full capacity is due to be reached in 2026.

Russia has already invested 3 billion U.S. dollars in the Akkuyu project via the Russian state-owned contractor Rosatom and its finalization will consecrate a new chapter of the close strategic ties between NATO partners Turkey and Russia, said experts.

"The Russian foreign policy is based on two axes: arms and energy. Nuclear energy has its place as a strategic foreign policy tool," said Kerim Has, a Moscow State University lecturer to Xinhua, highlighting the importance of the Akkuyu projects in bilateral ties.

"Rosatom has contracts to build 34 nuclear power stations in 12 countries and provide their nuclear fuel and the contracts that this company is engaged to fulfill make up to 133 billion U.S. dollars," explained this expert in Russian affairs.

Turkey is a NATO member and has angered other NATO partners, such as the U.S., traditionally Turkey's biggest arms supplier, by its insistence to purchase S-400 missile systems under a loan deal reached last year with Russia.

The initial delivery of the Russian-made advanced missile system is planned for the first quarter of 2020. The air defense systems will be operated by the Turkish Armed Forces independently of Russia and could be deployed for the protection of the Akkuyu plant.

Has explained that the Akkuyu project, despite delays, is still a very good deal for the Russian part because Turkey is expected under past agreements to buy one kilowatt of electricity for 12,35 cents, which is well above the world market level.

The sharing of the financial burden of the Akkuyu plant is one of the most important points of the agreement concluded in 2010. Half of the project would be financed by the Turks, which should yield important revenues for Russia in the long term, and increase its geopolitical presence in this part of the world, remarked Kerim Has.

Turkey or Turkish private sector companies are to provide 49 percent of the financing. Russia will control supervision and management. For several years now, dozens of Turkish technicians and personnel are being trained in Moscow.

Russia is seeking long-term guarantees for the projects and also investors which makes the funding problematic as Turkish company's showed reluctance to participate. Two major Turkish companies Kalyon and Kolin backed out of a proposed deal to purchase 49 percent of the facility, sparking for some time question marks on the future of the project.

Rosatom meanwhile announced last week that despite the withdrawal of investors from the project, it is still committed to go ahead and is expecting to receive soon the construction license to start building the plant.

The company also said that it was in talks with Turkish state-owned power producer EUAS after the collapse of the deal with the two other large Turkish industrial holding companies but what is certain now that the sell of a 49 percent stake in the plant has been postponed from 2018 to 2019.

"The probability to close the deal on the stake sale of the plant is low this year but it is likely to take place in the next year," the Chief Executive Officer of Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, told reporters during a press conference in Moscow last week.

Turkish companies have been put off by the sheer size of the financing required and the local media reported that the firms also fear that the electricity price could be lowered which would amount to a loss of revenue.

Turkey's energy imports amount to some 55 billion U.S. dollars annually and the energy demands of the 80 millions strong country is one of the fastest-growing of Europe, pushing the country to diversify its sources and cut dependency on mostly Russian natural gas.

Russian President Putin confirmed in November the launch of the plant's first reactor, saying that construction would begin in the near future.

And clearly as a good will gesture, Rosatom has received on Monday, just one days ahead of Putin's visit, a full construction license from Turkey's atomic energy authority, Xinhua learned from informed sources who argued out that the 2023 might still be at stake and that a new delay is possible.

"There are still many uncertainties in the future of the Akkuyu project. It is intertwined with politics and Russia wants Turkey to do its part in it," argued Kerim Has, insisting that funding issues will eventuality seal its faith.

Back to Top Close
Xinhuanet

Spotlight: Turkey's first nuclear power plant project goes forth despite setbacks

Source: Xinhua 2018-04-04 00:27:51

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomes his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, on April 3, 2018. (Xinhua/Turkish Presidential Palace)

By Burak Akinci

ANKARA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- A groundbreaking ceremony with attendance of Russian and Turkish presidents via a video teleconference was held Tuesday for Turkey's first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu Nuclear Plant, a strategic choice for Ankara facing setbacks but a powerful symbol of the deepening cooperation with Moscow.

"The successful implementation of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant will be a symbol of the dynamic development of Turkish-Russian partnership," Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the video teleconference.

The plant is located at Akkuyu in the Mediterranean province of Mersin. It will ultimately have a 4,800-megawatt capacity of installed power and will cost some 20 billion U.S. dollars.

The first unit of the plant which will have four reactors, is due to be launched in 2023, while the other units will be commissioned one by one in the following years.

The plant is expected to generate an average of 35 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually when it reaches its full potential in 2023, the centennial of modern Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's "2023 vision" of major investment and infrastructure programs.

The groundbreaking ceremony of Turkey's first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, was held Tuesday with the participation of Turkish and Russian presidents via a video teleconference from capital Ankara. (Xinhua photo)

A first ground-laying for the plant was planned for April 2015, but it did not take place because the major project signed in 2010 was halted when Turkey downed a Russian warplane near the Syrian border a couple of months earlier, plunging bilateral ties into a crisis mode.

Ankara and Moscow reconciled after a series of high level talks and the project restarted with a fresh impetus yet several delays and some funding issues pushed the finishing deadline from 2019 to 2023. A full capacity is due to be reached in 2026.

Russia has already invested 3 billion U.S. dollars in the Akkuyu project via the Russian state-owned contractor Rosatom and its finalization will consecrate a new chapter of the close strategic ties between NATO partners Turkey and Russia, said experts.

"The Russian foreign policy is based on two axes: arms and energy. Nuclear energy has its place as a strategic foreign policy tool," said Kerim Has, a Moscow State University lecturer to Xinhua, highlighting the importance of the Akkuyu projects in bilateral ties.

"Rosatom has contracts to build 34 nuclear power stations in 12 countries and provide their nuclear fuel and the contracts that this company is engaged to fulfill make up to 133 billion U.S. dollars," explained this expert in Russian affairs.

Turkey is a NATO member and has angered other NATO partners, such as the U.S., traditionally Turkey's biggest arms supplier, by its insistence to purchase S-400 missile systems under a loan deal reached last year with Russia.

The initial delivery of the Russian-made advanced missile system is planned for the first quarter of 2020. The air defense systems will be operated by the Turkish Armed Forces independently of Russia and could be deployed for the protection of the Akkuyu plant.

Has explained that the Akkuyu project, despite delays, is still a very good deal for the Russian part because Turkey is expected under past agreements to buy one kilowatt of electricity for 12,35 cents, which is well above the world market level.

The sharing of the financial burden of the Akkuyu plant is one of the most important points of the agreement concluded in 2010. Half of the project would be financed by the Turks, which should yield important revenues for Russia in the long term, and increase its geopolitical presence in this part of the world, remarked Kerim Has.

Turkey or Turkish private sector companies are to provide 49 percent of the financing. Russia will control supervision and management. For several years now, dozens of Turkish technicians and personnel are being trained in Moscow.

Russia is seeking long-term guarantees for the projects and also investors which makes the funding problematic as Turkish company's showed reluctance to participate. Two major Turkish companies Kalyon and Kolin backed out of a proposed deal to purchase 49 percent of the facility, sparking for some time question marks on the future of the project.

Rosatom meanwhile announced last week that despite the withdrawal of investors from the project, it is still committed to go ahead and is expecting to receive soon the construction license to start building the plant.

The company also said that it was in talks with Turkish state-owned power producer EUAS after the collapse of the deal with the two other large Turkish industrial holding companies but what is certain now that the sell of a 49 percent stake in the plant has been postponed from 2018 to 2019.

"The probability to close the deal on the stake sale of the plant is low this year but it is likely to take place in the next year," the Chief Executive Officer of Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, told reporters during a press conference in Moscow last week.

Turkish companies have been put off by the sheer size of the financing required and the local media reported that the firms also fear that the electricity price could be lowered which would amount to a loss of revenue.

Turkey's energy imports amount to some 55 billion U.S. dollars annually and the energy demands of the 80 millions strong country is one of the fastest-growing of Europe, pushing the country to diversify its sources and cut dependency on mostly Russian natural gas.

Russian President Putin confirmed in November the launch of the plant's first reactor, saying that construction would begin in the near future.

And clearly as a good will gesture, Rosatom has received on Monday, just one days ahead of Putin's visit, a full construction license from Turkey's atomic energy authority, Xinhua learned from informed sources who argued out that the 2023 might still be at stake and that a new delay is possible.

"There are still many uncertainties in the future of the Akkuyu project. It is intertwined with politics and Russia wants Turkey to do its part in it," argued Kerim Has, insisting that funding issues will eventuality seal its faith.

010020070750000000000000011105091370862111
网信快3 大发app 凤凰彩票app 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 大发彩票 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ii下载入口 乐发ll 乐发v平台 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 乐发lv 乐发lll安装 乐发lv 乐发登录入口 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票登录 网信彩票 彩神 彩神彩票官方网站 彩神彩票官网首页 彩神官方app下载安卓版 凤凰彩票登录 彩神v3 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 快3官网 网信彩票 快3app 网信彩票平台 百姓彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3app下载 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票平台 幸运5分彩快3 快3彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 大发10分PK10 快3下载 网信彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3彩票官网app 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 大发彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 彩神购彩平台 每日彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 彩神彩票购彩平台 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 凤凰彩票登录 乐发lv 乐发∨Il 百姓彩票网站网址 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发lll安装 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 一分快3 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 乐发lll 乐发ii下载入口 乐发彩票官方网站 凤凰彩票官方网站 凤凰快3 彩神彩票官网首页 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 凤凰彩票app 乐发app 网信彩票平台 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票app 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票app 网信彩票平台 乐发彩票app下载 乐发lv 乐发app 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 彩神彩票 乐发彩票中心 极速快3彩票平台 人人快三凤凰 大发彩票app 大发彩票大全 乐发彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 乐发app 酷天堂彩票平台 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票大厅 凤凰彩票app 极速快3彩票平台 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 大发彩票app 网信彩票用户 百姓快三 百姓彩票平台 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 彩信平台 网信彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发∨Il 人人快三凤凰 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 人人快三凤凰 乐发彩票 彩神彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发彩票 大发彩票中心 凤凰彩票登录 凤凰彩票app 彩神彩票 大发彩票 乐发ll 大发彩票app 凤凰快3 凤凰彩票 彩神彩票 乐发ll 凤凰彩票 乐发lll 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 彩神彩票 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 盈彩网投资平台 大发官网 一分时时彩 乐发lv 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 彩神iv 大发彩票app 大小单双平台 一分pk10 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发官网 快彩彩票 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 乐发彩票中心 网信快3 乐发 彩神xl 三分快3 大发彩票 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 大发彩票 乐发 分分快3 彩神vl 55世纪 55世纪 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 乐发lv welcome凤凰彩票 乐发ll 1分快3 彩神 彩神ll 1分快3官网 1分快3的平台 welcome凤凰彩票 三分快3 彩神x 彩神vl 凤凰彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ll 乐发lll 乐发lv 大发彩票app 大发彩票 乐发 乐发彩票 乐发彩票中心 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 彩神xl 腾讯快3 大发彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票app 快3平台 乐发 1分快3 乐发彩票 彩神x 凤凰快3 彩神xl 彩吧助手 大发彩票app 快3平台 大发排列3 彩神iv 彩神vl 乐发IV 彩神x 一分pk10 大发排列3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 一分pk10 凤凰彩票 乐发Vll 大发官网 乐发ll 大发彩票 乐发1 凤凰快3 彩神vl 乐发lx 百姓彩票 乐发VI 彩神x 乐发IV 极速快3 乐发 凤凰快3 网信快3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发lv 乐发lv 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 大发彩票 大发彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 彩神x 乐发 乐发ll 极速快3 乐发lv 乐发彩票中心 快3彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 彩神x 凤凰彩票app 分分快3 网信彩票 网盟彩票 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票 乐发 快彩彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发ll 网信彩票 乐发lv 全民彩票 凤凰彩票app下载 快盈彩票 大发彩票app 大发官网 凤凰彩票 彩神iv 大发彩票 网信快3 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票