Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom said on July 24 that commissioning work at Türkiye’s first nuclear power plant is only months away, signaling that the long-delayed project is entering its final phase before the first reactor begins commercial operations.
Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev made the remarks following a meeting in Moscow with Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.
“The start of commissioning work is only months away,” Likhachev said in a statement, adding that Rosatom was making every effort to accelerate the project despite what he described as external challenges.
The meeting came a day after Bayraktar said Türkiye and Russia discussed the strategic importance of their energy partnership, including progress at the Akkuyu plant in the southern province of Mersin.
Being built by Rosatom, the project consists of four VVER-1200 reactors with a combined installed capacity of 4,800 megawatts. Once all four units are operational, authorities say, the plant is expected to generate about 10 percent of Türkiye’s electricity demand.
Construction of the first reactor has faced delays caused by supply-chain disruptions, sanctions-related obstacles and financing issues.
Rosatom and Turkish officials have repeatedly said the first unit is expected to begin operations before the end of 2026, with the remaining three units scheduled to come online in stages through 2028.
