Turkey has worked to establish nuclear technology for 50 years as a part of eneryg with struggle in scientific/technical and political area. Turkey was one of the first countries which tried to realize it in the 20. century. Struggle about nuclear technology continued with to find research centers, to provide human capacity for energy plants, to coordinate all activities and legal issues to realize it. Today there is a concrete base to create this technology although there were some near positions to found nuclear plants in past time.

Atomic Energy Commission was founded after the Geneva Conference which was aimed to “Atomic Energy for Peace” in 1995. At the same year, bilateral agreement was signed between Turkey and the USA. Two years later Turkey joined to (IAEA) International Atomic Energy Agency which was founded within United Nations.[1] First test reactor Cekmece Nuclear Research and Education Center started to work in 1962. Turkey worked about first nuclear stations to produce electricity during 1967-1970.

First years of 1970s, feasibility activations continued to find nuclear power stations. Mersin-Akkuyu, Sinop-Inceburun and Kirklareli areas were defined. Akkuyu zone was selected because of security and technical reasons.[2] After Turkish Electricity Authority (TEK) was founded to regulate energy issues in the state. Akkuyu location was found suitable for the construction of the first nuclear power plant in 1975. The Atomic Energy Commission granted a site license for Akkuyu in 1976.  After the license, authorities continued necessary researches to realize this project. Earthquake, geological, meteorogical, environmental and hydrolical searches were finished by cooperations with some universities. Electricity, water lines, worksite, meteorology station and temporary digs were established in Akkuyu. A bid was prepared and ASEA-Atom and STAL-LAVAL companies were awarded the contract as the best bidders.[3] Contract negotiations continued until 1980. At the same year due to the Swedish government’s decision to withdraw a loan guarantee, the project was cancelled.

Turkey signed Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty in 1980 and declared to not produce nuclear weapon, later signed again another treaty Safeguard of  International Atomic Energy Agency to determine of control over the nuclear stations. TR-1 and TR-2 stations were founded as depend on Cekmece Nuclear Research and Education Center. As a new happening, Turkish Atomic Energy Authority was founded in 1982 and state gave an authority to license.

Turkish Electricity Authority choiced a new area in Sinop as a second point because it takes too long time to find new stations. Pre research works ended but authority reported that the area was no efficient to find station because of earthquake possibilities, so the work was ended.

Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources prepared bid letters to found one or two stations after seven firms claimed opporutinities in Turkey in 1983.[4] They were :

-          AECL (Canada) for Akkuyu,

-          KWU (Germany) for Sinop,

-          General Electric (the USA) for Sinop.

Experts of General Electric searched their zone and met some authorities and later they decided to end their activities because of earthquake lines. So General Electric backed down. KWU accepted to create a cooperation with other firms to manage station for 15 years with a claim about guarantee from government.[5] But government declared that it could only for limited conditions as economically. In 1985, meetings ended.

AECL was invited to meetings to sign a protocol. According to this protocol, there will be a cooperation which TEK have to accomplish economic providing as %40 and other companies as %60. All tasks were prepared but government of Canada didn’t agree %60 sector and meetings ended in 1986. Turkey proped up nuclear activities temporarily after the Chernobil nuclear explosion in 1986. In 1992 TEK wrote a letter for a claim which about a 1000 MW power station  for Turkey would be realized in 2002 to famous nuclear firms of the world.

The High Council of Science and Technology defined nuclear electricity as the third highest priority project for the country in 1993. Turkish Electricity Generation and Transmission Company (TEAS) included a nuclear plant project in its 1993 investment programme. In 1995, TEAS selected the Korean KAERI as the consultant for the preparation of the bid specifications.

After the temporary session, Akkuyu Nuclear Station Project continued again its work. Also Turkey invited tenders from international  firms for Akkuyu in 1996. Next year Akkuyu was claimed by these firms :

-          NPI Consortium (France-Germany),

-          Westinghouse Consortium (the USA-Japan),

-          Candu Consortium (Canada-Japan).

But state delayed its last decision for eight times and canceled it in 2000.[6]

TAEK which has a right to license depended on Ministry of Energy and Natural Sources in 2002. TAEK pointed out that there will be three nuclear reactors which have 5000 MW power. Next year TAEK declared that authorities are searching 8 new zones to found reactors. Later, it explained that new area was Sinop. Ministry of Energy and Natural Sources realized meetings with representatives of 14 special firms as a summit of nuclear station. End of the meeting state accepted an Ireland model which provide public-special cooperation. After this year, Turkey accepted too many legal regulations about nuclear energy to establish and finish its projects. In 2008 Turkish Electiricty Trade Cooperation invite tenders for electric to use in Akkuyu.

Generally :

-          Turkey couldn’t achieve to realize its nuclear power project.

-          There was no serious decision of governments.

-          Bureaucratic authorities couldn’t obey to their experts and their decisions which are about circumstances of nuclear projects in internal and international arena.

-          No decision and claim were important for the government. So no target was realized.

Mehmet Fatih ÖZTARSU

[1] Nuclear Energy Handbook of  Turkey, Intenational Atomic Energy Agency, http://www.iaea.org/inisnkm/nkm/ws/countries/turkey.html.

[2] Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, http://www.power-technology.com/projects/akkuyu/.

[3] Erkan Erdoğdu, Nuclear Power in Open Energy Markets, http://www.erdogdu.net/erdogdu.net/system_files/?page_id=631.

[4] Erdoğdu, Nuclear Power…

[5] Nuclear Power Situation in Turkey, Nuclear Energy Agency, http://www.nea.fr/general/profiles/turkey.html#hist#hist.

[6] National Laws and Regulations, Nuclear Power Agency, http://www.nea.fr/general/profiles/turkey.html#hist#hist.