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TURKEY OKs NUKE ENERGY BILL
ANKARA — Turkey has approved legislation to construct nuclear
reactors.
Parliament has passed a bill that would enable the establishment of
nuclear power plants in Turkey. The legislation would pave the way for the
construction of three nuclear reactors with the capacity to generate a total
of 5,000 megawatts of electricity.
Officials said Turkey's Energy Ministry would soon release
qualifications for bidders of the nuclear energy reactors. They said any
contractor would be responsible for dismantling any nuclear plant no longer
deemed operational.
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The legislation has been relayed to President Abdullah Gul for signing.
Gul's predecessor, Ahmed Sezer, had vetoed a similar bill.
The Turkish business daily Referans reported that the nuclear energy
project would begin in March 2008, with construction scheduled for launch
three months later. At the same time, the government was meant to reorganize
the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority to monitor the installations.
Ankara has long sought to construct nuclear reactors to accommodate
higher energy demand. Turkey has been operating two nuclear research
reactors overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The first nuclear reactor was planned for location in Sinop. The reactor
was expected to cost $700 million in a project that would partner Turkish
and foreign contractors.
