Turkey has lately shifted its focus on nuclear energy in an attempt to diversify its energy supply. With its first nuclear power plant, the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, under construction in southern Turkey's Mersin, the country is planning a second plant in the northern city of Sinop near the Black Sea, while a third one be built in the İğneada district of the northwestern province of Kırklareli.

Mustafa Yılmaz, chairman of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA), has said, "Nuclear energy is indispensable for developed countries, in terms of energy supply and the environment, and we can see how important it is if we examine nuclear power in many European Union countries today."

Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA), he noted that work on the nuclear power plant is being meticulously followed by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.

Stressing that great progress has been made in the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant project, Yılmaz said the second nuclear power plant must be built and it would be useful to think about a third one in order to boost Turkey's level of development.

He pointed out that nuclear power plants are an important source of investment for the development of countries, adding, "We need to regard this as a technological investment and should not consider it as a means of satisfying an energy requirement alone. In addition, Turkey needs to address nuclear energy in terms of technology and the environment, because nuclear energy can remind people of some bitter experiences around the world."

Underlining that nuclear energy is an indispensable part of the arsenal of developed countries, Yılmaz said dependence on nuclear power by many EU countries only reveal its significance.

He noted how France meets 76 percent of its energy requirement through nuclear sources, and stands out as a country that exports energy to many parts of Europe, and generates a significant part of its income from this source.

Nuclear power stations currently produce around one-third of the electricity and some 14 percent of all energy consumed in the EU. Nuclear energy is a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels and represents a critical component in the energy mix of many of its member states.

As of November 2016, there are a total of 186 nuclear power plant units with an installed electric net capacity of 163,685 Megawatts in operation in Europe, and 15 more units with a net electricity capacity of 13,696 Megawatts were under construction in six countries.

In terms of electricity generated by nuclear energy in 2015, France holds the top position with a share of 76.3 percent followed by the Ukraine with 56.54 percent, Slovakia with 55.9 percent and Hungary with 52.7 percent.