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Turkey's countdown to nuclear energy

When Turkey’s two planned nuclear power plants become fully operational, the country’s annual bill for energy imports will decrease by an estimated $7.2 billion.
TURKEY-GREENPEACE:ISTANBUL,10APR00-Greenpeace activists fly a hot air balloon sporting a slogan in Turkish reads as "Stop Akkuyu" in front of sixth century Byzantinian church of St. Sophia as they demonstrate in the old city in Istanbul April 10 against the Turkish government decision to build a first ever nuclear plant in Akkuyu. Turkish police detained nine activists during the protest.

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Turkey is a country that relies heavily on foreign energy supplies. In 2013, energy products accounted for $55.9 billion among $251.6 billion in imports. With 2013’s current account deficit of $65 billion, the burden of energy imports on the economy becomes even more striking. Turkey has drawn up a long-term action plan to ease that burden. The Ministry of Economy’s latest projection lists the following objectives for 2023 for boosting energy production:

  • All domestic energy sources, such as coal and hydro-energy, to be put into use;

  • Rnewable energy sources to be maximized;

  • Energy productivity to be increased at a fast and sustainable pace;

  • Turkey to become become a transit country and an energy terminal in such projects as the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP); and,

  • Nuclear energy sources to become operational

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