Erdogan, Putin launches Turkey’s first nuclear power plant

Akkuyu NPP to meet about 10 percent of Turkey’s electricity needs
ANKARA: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin attended the groundbreaking ceremony of Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) via a video conference call from Presidential Complex in the capital Ankara on Tuesday.
Prior to the groundbreaking ceremony, Erdogan welcomed Putin with an official ceremony in the capital.
Following speeches delivered by the two leaders, Development Minister Lutfi Elvan pressed the button to lay the foundation of the Akkuyu NPP in Turkey’s southern Mersin province and implemented the agreement signed between Turkish and Russian governments back in 2010.
The Akkuyu NPP, comprising four units, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts, will be built by the Russian State Nuclear Energy Agency, Rosatom.
It will produce 35 billion kilowatts of electricity at full capacity, which will meet about 10 percent of Turkey’s electricity needs.
At present, there are 450 nuclear power plants in 31 countries, while 55 plants are under construction around the world. The number of power plants under construction will be 56 with Akkuyu NPP.–AA