ANKARA, Turkey, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz is discussing Japanese involvement in Turkey's civilian nuclear power projects.
During a news conference in Istanbul, Yildiz discussed his talks with Japan on a nuclear power plant to be constructed in Turkey's Black Sea Sinop province, Anadolu Ajansi reported Wednesday.
Turkey's first civilian nuclear power facility is to be built at Akkuyu in Mersin on Turkey's southern Mediterranean coast. Earlier this month, talks between Turkey and South Korea regarding the construction of Akkuyu ended.
As a result Russia will build the facility. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Turkey May 12 and signed the agreement on the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, which will have 4.8 gigawatt capacity generated by four reactors.
Iuri Lipatov, chairman of the Energy Committee of Duma, said that the Akkuyu project was the most important single bilateral strategic cooperation project between Turkey and Russia.
Turkey imports 90 percent of its domestic energy needs.
