This event is considered an additional step towards the operation of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant built in Russia. OUR Vladimir Putin promised that nuclear fuel will be senton the eve of the presidential elections in Turkey and this will happen on the date announced by Erdogan to strengthen him in the election campaign. However, the operation of the first nuclear reactor is not expected until the end of 2023, as the Turkish construction company Ictas delayed the project due to problems with payment and disputes with Rosatom. Problems and differences were overcome thanks to the intervention of Erdogan.

An agreement on Turkey’s first Akuyu nuclear power plant in Mersin was signed in 2010 with Russia. The nuclear power plant will consist of four reactors and have an installed capacity of 4,800 megawatts. The project as a whole is scheduled to be completed in 2026, and Rosatom’s investment in the construction of the nuclear power plant exceeds $25 billion.

“If the nuclear power plant had been operating during the Kahramanmara earthquake, we would have had a catastrophe similar to Fukushima,” emphasizes G.G. environmental associations of the Southern Mediterranean.

The operation of Akyuyu, in addition to the project to modernize the Turkish energy sector, is considered an important proof of Ankara’s close cooperation with Moscow. In October 2022, the Turkish President, after meeting with his Russian counterpart, requested another cooperation in the construction of a second nuclear power plant, again from Russia. “The opening of the first part of Akugios will bring a different message, a different sound to the world. Of course, we also talked about the Sinopi issue (plan for a nuclear power plant). If a step can be taken there, it will bring even more impressive results. “Akouyou will cover 10% of our energy needs, and together with Sinopi, this percentage will reach 20%,” he said. For his part, the Russian President noted that Moscow wants to develop this type of cooperation with Turkey.

However, there were many objections to the construction of Akugios as there were concerns about earthquakes, especially after the 7.7 Richter earthquake on 6 February in Kahramanmaras. Sabahat Aslan, general secretary of the Eastern Mediterranean Ecological Unions, told the Cumhuriyet newspaper that the Akyuyu nuclear power plant is located at such a distance that it can be affected by strong earthquakes and faults located nearby.

He emphasizes that the nuclear power plant’s cooling system is built close to the shore and with embankments. “These areas vibrate up to 4 times more than an earthquake during an earthquake. This makes the power plant more dangerous. They report that the Akyuyu nuclear power plant was built to withstand a magnitude 9 earthquake. However, the greatest danger in nuclear power plants is the danger that will arise due to the failure of the cooling system. This risk can lead to major disasters, such as the Fukushima accident in 2011. If the Akyuyu nuclear power plant had been operating during the Kahramanmara earthquake, it would have been a disaster like Fukushima!”

Meanwhile, according to political analysts, the Turkish president, despite his pro-Western initiatives, is still promoting expansionist and revisionist policies. Erdogan, in his speech to the officers of the Turkish armed forces, touched upon Turkey’s weapons programs and stressed that “there is little time left to raise our flag on locks. We view our ongoing defense programs as an addition to our political and economic strength. And if we achieve this, with God’s help, the “century of Turkey” will begin. It won’t be just a slogan.”