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Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Turkey aims to load the first nuclear fuel at the Akkuyu nuclear power plant within the next few weeks, completing its physical start-up, and to begin using electricity from the plant in the system from 2027.

Speaking at the 16th Türkiye Energy Summit in Istanbul, Bayraktar also announced that the Milli Enerji 2040 Vizyonu, a long-term national energy vision centered on electrification, will be unveiled on November 5 at Dolmabahçe.

Akkuyu enters final testing phase

Bayraktar said the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant is nearing completion and that an intensive testing process is under way. Because of nuclear security and the international conventions and agreements Turkey is party to, he said, the site is a highly regulated field where nothing is left to chance and every precaution is being taken.

"We aim to achieve the physical start-up of Akkuyu by loading the first nuclear fuel within the next few weeks. From 2027 onwards we will use Akkuyu electricity in our system," Bayraktar said. He described nuclear power as indispensable for Turkey, arguing that if the country is to fight climate change and electrify every sector from buildings to agriculture and transport, it must have nuclear energy.

2040 vision to focus on electrification

The minister recalled that Turkey renews its National Energy Plan every five years and said the country must prepare for the artificial intelligence era. The Milli Enerji 2040 Vizyonu, to be announced on November 5 at Dolmabahçe, will put electrification at its center and set out a comprehensive roadmap for how Turkey can reach energy independence.

"We are moving toward a period in which electricity will be used more intensively in every area of the Turkish economy," Bayraktar said. Earlier in his address he stressed the strategic importance of diversification in energy policy, saying Turkey turned to its own local resources to reduce external dependence while also pursuing major diversification strategies.

Supply routes and market resilience

Bayraktar pointed to the TurkishStream natural gas pipeline, noting that gas previously reached the Thrace region, including Istanbul, via Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria, while since 2020 it has been delivered directly through TurkishStream. "Thanks to the diversification steps we have taken, Turkey did not experience any problems despite the major oil and supply crisis that began in February," he said, adding that the country is affected by prices like everyone else and that support programs are being used to protect citizens.

He described a global environment in which energy facilities and infrastructure have become primary targets in wars and conflicts in recent years. Nearly 20 percent of the world's oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, where transits have stopped and daily tanker costs have risen from 30,000 dollars to more than 1 million dollars, he said. "Everything we knew has changed, the world is going through a difficult process," Bayraktar said, adding that the crisis has no overnight solution and that the results of steps taken in the energy world 10 to 15 years ago are being seen today.

Domestic output targets and supports

Bayraktar said the strategy for meeting rising energy demand covers development of domestic resources, supply diversification, renewable energy, energy efficiency and nuclear power. Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) now produces 300,000 barrels of oil and gas, he said, with output targeted at 550,000 to 600,000 barrels by 2028 and an ultimate goal of 1 million barrels per day. New partnerships and acquisitions may follow before the year ends, including possible company purchases, new fields and new countries, he said.

On consumer support, Bayraktar said total aid for electricity and natural gas in the 2021-2026 period has reached about 75 billion dollars, with more than 600 billion lira allocated in the budget. Through the Eşel Mobil mechanism, the Treasury has given up close to 250 billion lira in fuel tax since the February crisis. Support for household electricity and gas will continue, he said. He also said backing for domestic coal plants will continue and that a fair transition planning for employment in the coal sector is needed.

Gas hub ambitions and COP31 plans

Bayraktar said Turkey is developing infrastructure toward its goal of becoming an energy trade center. The country consumes 55 to 60 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year and has sourced gas from 13 countries as of this year. Turkey has become a gas exporting country and could offer an alternative in light of European Union decisions on Russian gas, he said.

Looking ahead, Turkey will host the 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN climate framework (COP31) in Antalya, which Bayraktar said will bring together thousands of participants, including heads of state and government, civil society groups and business and finance representatives. Turkey has built its program around the motto "from talking to action," noting that earlier climate targets were not met. If consensus is reached, a target of 35 percent electrification by 2035 could be described as COP31's most important outcome, he said. Turkey will host the meeting amid ongoing wars and restricted energy access, when the shift to green energy is difficult, Bayraktar added.

Key takeaways

• Turkey aims to load the first nuclear fuel at Akkuyu within weeks and use its electricity from 2027
• The Milli Enerji 2040 Vizyonu, centered on electrification, will be announced on November 5 at Dolmabahçe
• TPAO produces 300,000 barrels of oil and gas a day, with a target of 1 million barrels per day
• Electricity and gas support for 2021-2026 has reached about 75 billion dollars