Erdogan announces Putin’s participation in nuclear fuel loading ceremony

On April 27, Russian President Vladimir Putin will take part in the ceremony of loading nuclear fuel at the first Turkish nuclear power plant Akkuyu, which is being built with the participation of Rosatom, via video link. About it informed TV channel TRT Haber, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

According to him, on April 27 only one of the four units of the nuclear power plant will be launched. The rest will be put into operation with a difference of one year. The launch of the nuclear power plant will bring the Turkish economy $6.5 billion, the head of state stressed.

At the end of March, Erdogan allowedthat Putin will be able to personally come to participate in the nuclear power plant start-up ceremony. The Kremlin then noted that a decision on this issue had not yet been made.

According to Erdogan, after loading nuclear fuel at a nuclear power plant, it can be considered nuclear. It will generate up to 10% of Turkey’s electricity. Erdogan added that the launch of the nuclear power plant will prevent the import of natural gas.

Akkuyu will be the first nuclear power plant in Turkey. In May 2010, Russia and Turkey entered into an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation, according to which the Russian Federation acts as the builder and owner of the station. The project, worth about $22 billion, will consist of four units based on VVER-1200 reactors with a capacity of 1,200 MW each. Two power units have already been built, the construction of the third began in March 2021. In October of the same year, a decision was agreed to issue a license for the construction of the fourth unit.