"Turkey is prepared to produce the fuel," Guler said.
The minister said Turkey's first nuclear energy reactor would be built
in the Akkuyu region. He also cited preparations in the northern province of
Sinop.
"Everything is on schedule according to the calendar," Guler said.
The Bush
administration has urged Turkey to become a member of the U.S.-led Global
Nuclear Energy Partnership, designed to control the supply of nuclear fuel.
"For this reason, it has become increasingly important for regulatory
bodies to carefully coordinate," Peter Lyons, a member of the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, said.
Turkish industry leaders have encouraged the Energy Ministry plan. They
said Turkey could help bring down energy costs and diversify supplies.
"Once Turkey has an operational plant, fuel costs for the next 60 years
will be estimable," Selahattin Akman, president of the Sabanci Holding
Energy Group, said. "We need a platform where we can rebuild confidence in
officials and the private companies which will be charged with the
inspection and the construction of the nuclear plant."
But speakers warned that Turkey lacks expertise to conduct a nuclear
program without significant foreign help. They said the lion's share of
Turkish nuclear scientists has emigrated.
"From among 1,300 or 1,400 scientists [trained between 1960 and 1990],
Turkey could keep only a handful," Turkish Professor Ali Nezihi Bilge said.
"Others switched to other fields, went to study or work abroad, or are now
retired. We must train our own work force if we speak of independence."
