Skip to main content

Fears over safety of nuclear plant flare up in Turkey

The safety of a controversial nuclear power plant that Turkey is building in collaboration with Russia has fueled fresh worries amid reports of cracks in the foundation of the facility.
A view of the construction site of Turkey's first nuclear power plant 'Akkuyu', pictured during the opening ceremony in the Mediterranean Mersin region on April 3, 2018. 
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin launched the construction of the $20 billion dollar Akkuyu nuclear power plant though a video link from Ankara where Putin is on an official visit. / AFP PHOTO / DOGAN NEWS AGENCY / IBRAHIM MESE / Turkey OUT        (Photo credit should read IBRAHIM MESE/AFP/Getty

Reports of cracks appearing in the foundations of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant, under construction in a quake-prone area, have rekindled fears over the project, with the opposition and civic groups calling for a parliamentary probe and an independent inspection of the facility.

Construction work on the $20 billion project, awarded to Russia’s state-owned nuclear power company Rosatom, kicked off in April 2018 at Akkuyu in the Mediterranean province of Mersin amid simmering warnings, both at home and abroad, over the risks. The plant will have four units, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.