Akkuyu NPP to strengthen Türkiye’s energy security

ANKARA

Following recent attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, global energy markets have been gripped by panic and rising prices. This turbulence has once again underscored the importance of diversifying the national energy portfolio.

When completed, the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) will meet approximately ten percent of Türkiye’s electricity consumption on its own, making it one of the strategic investments that strengthens the country’s energy supply security.

Located in Büyükeceli, Mersin, the plant is being built under a 2010 intergovernmental agreement between Türkiye and Russia. It will consist of four reactors, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts, for a total installed capacity of 4,800 megawatts.

The facility is expected to generate around 35 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, reducing Türkiye’s natural gas imports by an estimated $1.5 billion per year. This makes Akkuyu not only a major infrastructure project but also a strategic investment in long-term energy resilience.

Professor Dr. Şule Ergün, Chair of Nuclear Energy Engineering at Hacettepe University, noted that Akkuyu is more than just a new power plant. She explained that it strengthens Türkiye’s energy supply security by replacing part of the electricity currently produced from imported natural gas.

Ergün also emphasized that nuclear power plants have very low carbon emissions during operation and provide continuous electricity generation, which supports both climate goals and grid reliability.

She emphasized that the second and third nuclear power plant projects planned for the future in Türkiye are not only about adding new electricity generation capacity. Ergün noted that these projects also represent significant opportunities for the country to build expertise and accumulate knowledge in the field of energy technologies.

With Akkuyu NPP approaching completion, Türkiye is positioning itself to meet growing electricity demand, diversify its energy mix and reinforce its energy security in an increasingly volatile global market.