The launch of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant Akkuyu, built by Rosatom, has been postponed: what is the reason?
26 December 2025 21:20
Turkey has postponed the launch of its first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu, which is being built by the Russian state corporation Rosatom. It was previously planned that the plant would start operating in 2025, but Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said that financing and launch would be realized in 2026-2027. This was reported by Reuters, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Location and scope of the project
The nuclear power plant is located in the province of Merzin on the Mediterranean coast.
Construction is underway under a 2010 agreement worth $20 billion.
Expected foreign financing in 2026 is $4-5 billion.
Reasons and consequences of the delay
The postponement emphasizes the complexity of implementing large-scale nuclear projects.
The change in timing affects Turkey’s energy strategy in the medium term.
Diversification of nuclear projects
Ankara is in talks with South Korea, China, Russia, and the United States about new nuclear projects in Sinop province and the Thrace region.
The goal is to get the “most competitive offer” and strengthen its own nuclear sector.
Development of renewable energy
At the same time, Turkey is negotiating with the Saudi company ACWA to implement a project of solar power plants with a total capacity of 5000 MW.
This is part of a strategy to diversify electricity sources and develop green energy solutions.
