Turkey To Discuss Energy With Russia

Trade in natural gas and the planned construction of the nuclear reactor in Turkey's Mersin province are to be discussed during Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yildiz's visit to Moscow on Wednesday.



Yildiz plans to meet his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak, Gazprom's CEO Alexey Miller, Sergey Kiriyenko, CEO of the state-owned Russian nuclear company Rosatom and Elena Burmistrova, the head of Gazpromexport, during his visit to the Russian capital.



As Russia's second-biggest client for its natural gas after Germany, Turkey imports 25.5 billion cubic meters (cbm) of Russian natural gas annually via the Blue Stream pipeline and West Line, which carry Russian gas via a pipeline from Ukraine to Turkey, according to Gazprom.



However, the recent crisis in Ukraine has raised concerns that Kiev could halt the gas flowing through West Line.



Yildiz announced in August that Turkey was carrying out discussions with Gazprom in order to increase the yearly capacity of Blue Stream by 3 billion cubic meters, which connects to Turkey directly from Russia.



Nuclear project



Yildiz will also discuss the $20 billion Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant project, where $3.5 billion worth of construction equipment is also expected to be used, $1.8 billion of which will be spent this year alone. 



Funds received from Russia are expected to be used in the building of the infrastructure for the plant and construction of roads, power lines, water pipelines, temporary housing and cranes. 



If the project license is approved, the reactor construction is estimated to begin in 2016 and become operational by 2020, with the entire plant being fully operational by 2023. 



Rosatom signed an agreement in 2011 to build and operate the four-reactor nuclear power plant on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, with the aim of having the plant fully-operational by the Turkish Republic's 100-year anniversary in 2023.



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