Turkey: Energy minister says nuclear plant no risk due to earthquake belt

Turkey’s energy and natural resources minister said on Wednesday that nuclear power plants would not pose any risk as Turkey was situated on a quake belt.

Taner Yildiz said there was no need to be concerned, and nuclear power plant would be the strongest construction in Turkey.
“Turkey is taking every measure to prevent any risks,” Yildiz said during a reception in Ankara.

Turkey is planning to build two nuclear power plants in the north and south in the next decade.

In May 2010, Turkey and Russia signed a deal for construction of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant in Akkuyu, a small town on the Mediterranean coast, which is expected to cost about 20 billion USD.

Russian state-owned atomic power company ROSATOM is likely to start building the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in 2013 and the first reactor is planned to generate electricity in 2018.

Turkey and Japan resumed talks on construction of Turkey’s second nuclear power plant in Sinop on July 31.

Turkey has been engaged in talks with Japan since last year to build country’s second nuclear power plant in the Black Sea coastal province of Sinop in the north. However, talks were interrupted after the massive earthquake that hit Japan last March.

27 October 2011
SOURCE: CUMHURIYET.COM.TR