Ankara revives project to build nuclear plant
ANKARA (AFP) – Turkish Energy Minister Himli Guler said yesterday his ministry was working on plans to build a nuclear power plant, an idea dropped by a previous government in 2000 after heavy criticism from environmentalists. «We are continuing technical studies on nuclear power plants and will soon hold talks with countries which build these plants,» Guler was quoted by the Anatolia news agency as telling reporters. «We have come to the point of tender specifications.» A ministry spokesman said plans were still at an early stage. «There is still no decision on the possible location of the plant,» he said on condition of anonymity. But he added that the site near Akkuyu Bay, north of Cyprus – and allegedly near a seismic fault line – chosen at the time of Ankara’s previous attempt to adopt nuclear energy, was among the options being examined.