Turkey dismayed at lack of US partnership on second nuclear plant: Minister

ANKARA – Hürriyet

China and a Japanese-French joint venture are competing to build the second nuclear plant project, which will be located in the Black Sea province of Sinop.

Turkey expected to form a partnership with the United States to build Turkey’s second planned nuclear plant, Energy Minister Tamer Yıldız told daily Hürriyet in an interview published April 6. 

“If I don’t build the nuclear plant with the U.S., which strategic project will I do? Will I sell tomatoes and peppers?” Yıldız said, adding that Turkey had made a proposition to the “highest officials” in Washington about participating in the tender. 
 
“They told us that the project was not feasible. It may not be feasible, but it is strategic. [Making] this strategic contribution falls upon Washington,” he said.
 
China and a Japanese-French joint venture are competing to build the plant, which will be located in the Black Sea province of Sinop, Yıldız said April 4. The first plant in Akkuyu, in the Mediterranean province of Mersin, will be constructed by Russia’s Rosatom company.
 
“Not making an offer for this project means not [giving the real meaning] to the model partnership. I would really have wished that the U.S. were part of it. I don’t reproach the model partnership; I reproach not giving it its meaning. If we don’t do a 22 billion-dollar project with the U.S., what project will we do?” Yıldız asked.  
 
The energy minister also said Turkey could not be accused of being too dependent on Russia regarding its energy policy. “Those who say that should bring us an alternative. I cannot wait. The U.S. is not [cooperating]. We are not Iran, we are open to offers,” he said.