A conflict between Turkish and Russian companies over the construction of a nuclear power plant has apparently been resolved. It was about terminating a contract with local construction companies.
Turkey says it has settled the dispute with Russia over the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in southern Turkey. Both sides had reached an agreement, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Saturday, according to Turkish broadcaster ntv. Accordingly, the Turkish contractor IC Ictas has been included again in the project to build the power plant, which is to be operated by the Russian Rosatom. In August, Rosatom had terminated the contract with IC Ictas and referred to “numerous violations”.
Protests broke out in July after Turkish companies withdrew orders and gave them to a new company. There were rumors that thousands would lose their jobs. According to Turkish media reports, workers were denied access. This in turn called the opposition into action. Turkish politician Alpay Antmen circulated a video on social media in which he attacked the ruling party: “The AKP gave Akkyu complete Russian control. The government no longer knows what’s going on there. Russia turned it into a military base,” he said the “Cumhuriyet” the politician.
Erdoğan hopes to be able to put the first reactor of the nuclear plant into operation before the presidential and parliamentary elections next year. When all four reactor blocks are running, they should supply up to ten percent of Turkey’s electricity requirements. Turkey currently has to cover a large part of its energy requirements through imports. That includes gas. According to a Bloomberg report, President Erdoğan asked Putin for a 25 percent price reduction. He also wants to pay in Turkish lira. So far, however, Putin has only officially pointed out that according to an agreement, a quarter of the bills have to be settled in rubles.