Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez on Tuesday announced that on 2023 Turkey’s first nuclear reactor and newly discovered Black Sea gas reserves will start energy production. Dönmez made his remarks at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group meeting in Turkish city of Istanbul. “Construction of the first nuclear reactor of our nation continues in Akkuyu. We hope to turn it online next year. We are also working on technological and geographical aspects of second and third reactors.” Dönmez said about the final situation about the nuclear plant.
In addition to that, Minister Dönmez touched on the newly discovered Black Sea gas reserves during his remarks. “We made the biggest off-shore natural gas discovery of the year 2020 in the Black Sea. Initial data suggest that it’s around 540 billion cubic meters, and we are working hard to connect it to our national distribution system next year.” Dönmez said in his statements. Minister Dönmez also expressed his hopes that recently discovered Black Sea gas reserves, of which supply line construction began on Monday, would provide 25-30 percent of the national energy demand by 2026.