ISTANBUL, June 30. /TASS/. Electricity generated by the Akkuyu nuclear power plant will make a significant contribution to achieving Turkey's climate goals, chairman of the board of directors of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC Anton Dedusenko said.

Rosatom, which is building Turkey's first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu NPP, has focused its efforts on launching the plant's first power unit this year. "In addition to the numerous positive economic effects that the Akkuyu project will bring, the electricity generated by the plant will make a substantial contribution to achieving Turkey's climate goals, primarily carbon neutrality by 2053," Dedusenko said.

"And, of course, the UN Climate Change Conference [of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change] to be held in Turkey this year comes to the forefront here. Hosting COP31, this crucial platform for climate negotiations, is a strategic step for Turkey that reflects its commitment to the principles of sustainable development. It is fundamentally important for us that in recent years the discussion regarding the role of nuclear energy in the climate agenda has become more substantive and mature. Nuclear power is not only a source of stable low-carbon generation, but also a technological platform for addressing a broader range of climate and infrastructure challenges. It is important for us to show that these solutions are already available, have practical applications and can be adapted to the needs of specific countries and regions," Dedusenko noted.

He said that Rosatom plans to hold a series of events during COP31 to discuss practical solutions offered by the nuclear industry that help reduce carbon footprints without compromising the reliability of energy supply or economic growth. "We plan to present Russian nuclear technologies at the Russian pavilion and will be delighted to welcome everyone to Antalya in November," the chairman of the board said.

Akkuyu is the first nuclear power plant being built in the Republic of Turkey. The project consists of four power units equipped with Russian-designed Generation III+ VVER reactors. Each power unit will have a capacity of 1,200 MW. The construction of Akkuyu NPP is the first project in the global nuclear industry to be implemented under the Build-Own-Operate organizational and economic model.