Construction of Akkuyu Nuclear Plant to Speed Up Thanks to Faster Licensing

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that the legislative changes that Turkey has adopted, allowing for faster licensing procedures, will speed up the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The legislative changes that Turkey has adopted, allowing for faster licensing procedures, will speed up the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, a joint project with Russia, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said.

"We have indeed had problems due to the fact that the Turkish law system did now allow to get a license through a simplified procedure. And there are a lot of licenses needed for the project to be implemented in full. That’s why the adoption of legislative changes that took place recently really gives an opportunity for this project to be implemented at higher rates," Novak said on Rossiya-24 TV.

Russia and Turkey signed an agreement to construct and operate Turkey’s first nuclear power plant at the Akkuyu site in the Turkish southern Mersin Province in May 2010. The plant is expected to produce about 35 billion kilowatt-hours per year.

The project's cost is estimated at about $20 billion.