Despite Fukushima, Japan Still Bids for Turkish Contract

Despite the March nuclear debacle at Japan’s Daichi nuclear power complex, Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Company is continuing to bid for a Turkish nuclear power plant contract.
 
According to the trade commercial attaché at Japanese Embassy in Ankara Shinli Hirai, Turkey had the concern that the Japanese side would completely abandon the project. Japanese officials will continue the talks. “The Japanese bid is not over yet,” Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper reported.
 
TEPCO has submitted a bid to construct Turkey’s second NPP, to be situated in the northern Black Sea coastal town of Sinop.
 
Turkey’s first nuclear power plant at Akkuyu on Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coast near the town of Mersin is proceeding despite fierce local opposition, that points out that the project facility is near a major earthquake fault.
 
Turkish Energy Minister Taner Y?ld?z also left open the possibility of further discussions between the two nations, telling reporters in the capital Ankara, “Japan’s bid consisted of three steps, including construction, finance and operation, however Japanese government had told Turkish executives that it would make a new model offer. "We have told them that we will assess all flexible cooperation.”

Despite the recent global downturn and falling interest in nuclear power generation, Turkey remains interested in utilizing nuclear power to produce electricity, as the country currently is forced to import 90 percent of its energy requirements.

By. Joao Peixe, Deputy Editor OilPrice.com