Türkiye is closely cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, a Turkish envoy said on Monday.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Levent Eler, Türkiye’s permanent representative at the U.N.'s office in Vienna, said Ankara and the agency are coordinating over the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant.
He noted that as part of the coordination, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi attended the ceremony marking the first delivery of nuclear fuel to the power plant on April 27.
The Akkuyu plant has been officially granted nuclear facility status with the delivery.
Touching on the ordinary session of the IAEA Executive Board on June 5-9, Eler said Iran's nuclear program and the AUKUS initiative will be on agenda.
Türkiye and Russia signed an intergovernmental agreement in 2010 to build the plant. Akkuyu will comprise four Russian-designed VVER generation 3+ reactors, with 1,200 megawatts (MW) capacity each.
The foundation of the first reactor was laid in April 2018, while the construction of the second, third and fourth units having started in June 2020, March 2021 and June 2022, respectively.
The three remaining units are due to start operation by the end of 2026, at a rate of one per year, to ultimately have a total installed capacity of 4,800 megawatts (MW).
Once completed, the plant is expected to produce 35 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually and will meet about 10% of domestic electricity needs.
According to Rosatom, the Akkuyu site is located in the fifth-degree earthquake zone, considered the safest region when it comes to earthquakes.
