In order to reduce energy dependence, Turkey needs nuclear power plants, country's environment and urban planning minister said on Thursday.
'Developed countries that have enough nuclear power plants are not currently building new ones,' the minister, Fatma Guldemet Sari, told Anadolu Agency.
'However, Turkey has to build nuclear power plants.'
Turkish government wants to diversify its energy sources and reduce its dependency on expensive energy imports by joining forces with foreign countries to build a series of nuclear power plants across the country.
Turkey’s first nuclear power plant Akkuyu, in the province of Mersin at the southern Mediterranean coast, is under construction and will have a capacity of 4,800 megawatts with four units.
Turkey's second nuclear plant -- still in project phase -- in Sinop at the northern Black Sea coast will have 4,480 megawatts capacity. Turkey also plans to award a contract for country's 3rd nuke plant project in 2016 or 2017, for which the site is unclear.
- Reducing dependence by utilizing renewables
Turkey is also turning into a hot spot for all renewable energy investments with geographical advantage where the wind, sun and hydro powers could be easily harvested.
The minister said 'In order to reduce dependence on imports energy, Turkey needs to utilize more renewable energy sources.'
As an example of renewables which are successful and flourishing, Turkey's wind power plant capacity in 1998 was at 8.7 megawatts (MW) and reached a capacity of 3,650 MW by 2015. To date, Turkey's energy watchdog EMRA has awarded 250 wind power plant licenses for a capacity of 9,900 MW.
Turkey currently has 40,000 MW of installed capacity in solar and 36,000 MW in wind power, and as part of its 2023 targets, the country aims to add another 20,000 MW of solar and wind by then.
'Renewable energy will be essential and cooperation between government and non-govermental bodies are crucial,' Sari concluded.
Reporting By Yildiz Nevin Gundogmus
Writing By Huseyin Erdogan
Anadolu Agency
huseyin.erdogan@aa.com.tr