Construction of a four-reactor nuclear power plant in northern Turkey will include French, Turkish and Japanese construction firms, Japanese media announced late last week.
The construction arrangement will include the French company Bouygues and “two or three” Turkish contractors who will work with Japanese contractors Taisei and Obayashi.
Construction is expected to begin in 2017 at the earliest with a completion target set for 2023. By modern standards, that is an ambitious schedule for a four-unit nuclear power plant. This one is to be built in the Turkish province of Sinop.
Reportedly, it is the first time Japanese contractors will be constructing a nuclear power facility in another country. Japan has considerable experience building nuclear power plants at home. The country has more than 50 reactors, although only 43 are currently listed as viable for a restart once Japan begins putting reactors back on line following a prolonged moratorium prompted by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster in March 2011.
While the industry is largely on hold in Japan, the government lead by Shinzo Abe has been advocating to put the country's reactors back online for economic reasons. In the meantime, the nuclear power moratorium in Japan does not prevent companies from selling their services in other countries.
The build in Turkey, lead by Taisei, is expected to cost $16.3 billion, the Hurriyet Daily News reported.