Türkiye to start up first Akkuyu nuclear reactor within weeks

Akkuyu start-up and the electrification target

Türkiye plans to begin the physical start-up of the first nuclear power reactor at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant within weeks, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said while speaking at events organized by Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom during the COP31 climate summit in Antalya. He highlighted nuclear energy's role in meeting climate goals and ensuring reliable electricity supplies.

Bayraktar said Türkiye is prioritizing the translation of climate commitments into action at COP31, pointing to its call for countries to commit to a target of 35% electrification of their economies by 2035. He described the target as ambitious and challenging, stressing that nuclear power would be essential to achieving it and to reaching global carbon neutrality by mid-century.

Rising demand and the National Energy 2040 vision

Speaking at a panel on nuclear energy, Bayraktar said Türkiye's growing economy, rising population and continuing urbanization were increasing energy demand, which makes affordable and reliable supplies increasingly challenging to secure. Electrification is a central objective of the country's National Energy 2040 vision, he said, with energy efficiency at the heart of its strategy.

Bayraktar called for the full use of Türkiye's solar, wind, geothermal and biomass potential, alongside nuclear power, to support reliable, low-carbon electricity generation.

Nuclear capacity targets

Türkiye aims to reach 10 gigawatts of installed nuclear power capacity by 2040 and at least 20 gigawatts by 2050. Bayraktar said the country needs at least 15 gigawatts of capacity from conventional, large-scale nuclear reactors and is considering at least 5 gigawatts from small modular reactors. The combined capacity could meet around 10%-12% of Türkiye's electricity needs by 2050, he said, helping reduce carbon emissions and balance the generation mix.

He identified a skilled workforce, substantial investment and sustained political leadership as key requirements for delivering the projects.

Cooperation with Russia and Rosatom

Bayraktar said Türkiye began developing its nuclear power program through intergovernmental agreements with Russia and started working with Rosatom in 2010. He credited the leadership and commitment of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin with advancing Akkuyu and bringing Türkiye's roughly 70-year nuclear ambition to fruition. More than 300 graduates of Russian universities and colleges are working at Akkuyu, he said, highlighting workforce development and localization as important elements of bilateral nuclear cooperation.

Türkiye is also holding talks with different technology providers for its second and third nuclear power plants, with further projects planned in Sinop and Thrace, he added.

Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev described Akkuyu as one of the most notable projects in the recent history of nuclear energy. He said nuclear power would help shape the global energy system over the next 20-30 years, supporting continuous, stable electricity generation and broader technological change, and named fourth-generation nuclear technologies, inherent safety, closed nuclear fuel cycles, energy storage and artificial intelligence-enabled smart energy systems as key areas of future discussion.