Türkiye to Begin Physical Start-Up of Its First Akkuyu Reactor Within Weeks, Targeting at Least 15 Gigawatts of Conventional Nuclear Capacity

Türkiye's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said at events organized by Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom on the sidelines of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya on Friday, 13 November 2026 (22 Aban 1405), that the country plans to begin the physical start-up of the first reactor at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant within weeks. He said Türkiye aims for 10 gigawatts of installed nuclear capacity by 2040 and at least 20 gigawatts by 2050; that requires at least 15 gigawatts from conventional large reactors, while at least 5 gigawatts from small modular reactors is under consideration. By 2050 the capacity could meet around 10% to 12% of Türkiye's electricity needs.

Bayraktar also cited a goal of raising electrification to 35% of the economy by 2035 and said more than 300 graduates of Russian universities work at Akkuyu. Türkiye's nuclear cooperation with Russia began in 2010 under an intergovernmental agreement.