SAMARKAND, September 16. /TASS/. All issues related to the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey have been settled, and relevant documents were signed on September 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday.
"The Akkuyu nuclear power plant project is being implemented in accordance with the schedule. I know, and we discussed this quite recently, there were certain issues related to the organization of the construction process itself and so on. As far as I know, all these issues have also been closed, and yesterday the final documents regulating all relations between the parties to this large, grandiose construction project were signed," Putin said.
He added that he "would very much like the first unit to be launched on time, in 2023."
On August, the Ministry of Energy of Turkey made a statement, in which it expressed its hope that the disagreements between Russia’s Akkuyu Nuklear, who builds the power plant, and a Turkish contractor will not affect the implementation of the most important energy project. The Ministry expects that the first reactor will be launched on 2023.
According to Turkish media, Akkuyu Nuklear voided the contract with its general contractor, Titan 2-IC Ictas. The Turkish company announced its intention to appeal the Russian company’s decision.
Earlier, Akkuyu Nuklear CEO Anastasia Zoteyeva said that the power plant construction will be complete by 2023 despite the change of contractor.
According to the administration of the Turkish leader, Putin and Erdogan discussed the topic of nuclear power plant in a telephone conversation on September 3. It was noted that the presidents "reaffirmed their determination to implement the Akkuyu nuclear power plant construction project, according to the plan."
About the project
The Akkuyu is the first nuclear power plant to be built in Turkey. The project is being implemented in accordance with the inter-governmental agreement, signed by Russia and Turkey in 2010. It is being funded completely by the Russian side. Russia’s Rosatom is a majority shareholder of Akkuyu Nuklear JSC, tasked with development, construction, maintenance, operation and decommissioning of the power plant.
The power plant will include four Russian-designed VVER generation 3+ reactors. Each reactor’s power output will stand at 1,200 MWt. Once commissioned and brought to full capacity, the NPP will produce about 35 billion kWh every year.