Nuclear Power Generation

The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Mersin Province is Turkey's first nuclear facility, comprising four VVER-1200 reactors with a total capacity of 4,800 MW. Built by Russia's Rosatom under a build-own-operate model with a $20+ billion investment (including $9 billion in new Russian financing announced in December 2025), the first unit is expected to generate electricity in 2026. Construction is progressing on all four units simultaneously, with subsequent reactors coming online at one-year intervals.

Once fully operational, Akkuyu will supply approximately 10% of Turkey's electricity demand, significantly reducing dependence on imported natural gas which currently dominates Turkish power generation. For a country that imports nearly all its fossil fuels, nuclear baseload power represents a structural shift toward energy security. Turkey's electricity demand has grown rapidly with its industrializing economy, making diversified generation sources critical.

The geopolitical dimension is significant: Akkuyu is built and owned by Rosatom, creating a deep technology dependency on Russia. While this provides leverage for Moscow, Turkey has begun exploring additional nuclear programs — including potential partnerships with South Korea or China for second and third nuclear plants — that would diversify its nuclear technology base. The operational experience gained at Akkuyu is developing a domestic nuclear workforce that Turkey hopes to leverage for future indigenous nuclear capability.