Turkey tenders tech firms for Akkuyu plant

ANKARA

The atomic energy watchdog launches tender for review of Akkuyu nuclear plant. DHA Photo

The Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK) will hold a tender for technical support services for the handling of its first nuclear power plant’s licensing in the province of Mersin on the Mediterranean coast.

According to the announcement on the TAEK’s website, interested parties are invited to bid for support services during the licensing process and the review and assessment services for the construction of Turkey’s Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

Bids must be submitted by June 6, via regular mail or in person.

The Russian energy company Rosatom signed an agreement in 2011 to build and operate a four reactor nuclear power plant, with the aim of having the plant fully-operational by the Turkish Republic’s 100-year anniversary in 2023.

The first reactor’s construction is estimated to begin in 2016, with the first reactor to be operational by 2020 and the entire plant being fully operational by 2023.

A tender by the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK) to pick a firm to carry out this work has been cancelled at least three times after bidders failed to meet the pre-qualification criteria.
But Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız claimed that the TAEK tenders would have “no effect” on the agenda.

The problems with the Environmental Impact Assessment (ÇED) report for the Akkuyu nuclear power plant have also puts pressure on the schedule planned by the government and the company.
A new ÇED report re-submitted to the Environment and Urban Planning Ministry last week.