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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) President Rafael Mariano Grossi praised Türkiye's progress in nuclear energy as a potential turning point in the country's history during remarks at the IAEA's 70th General Conference in Vienna.
Grossi visited a Türkiye stand showcasing the country's nuclear energy activities and vision, where he met representatives of Turkish nuclear institutions and received information from Türkiye's Ambassador to the U.N. Office in Vienna, Mustafa Kibaroglu.
"You are about to become a country producing nuclear energy with the nuclear power plant and reactors that I had the honor of visiting a few years ago," Grossi said, recalling his visit to the construction of Türkiye's first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu. "I was very impressed by the progress made there."
Grossi said the IAEA was eagerly awaiting the possible commissioning of Akkuyu's first unit within the coming months and expressed hope that he would be in Türkiye to witness the milestone. "We are eagerly awaiting the moment when we will see nuclear Türkiye join the family of countries that successfully benefit from nuclear energy," he added.
He also stressed that Türkiye's nuclear ambitions would not end with Akkuyu, noting that the country had further plans in the field. The IAEA, he added, was ready to provide whatever cooperation Türkiye might need.
Türkiye's strong presence at the IAEA conference was "very pleasing," Grossi said, adding that the country was preparing to join the community of nations that successfully benefit from nuclear energy.
Kibaroglu highlighted the progress at Akkuyu, saying the plant had reached its final stage. "Alongside Türkiye's achievements in science and technology, the point it has reached in the political field is setting an example for the whole world," Kibaroglu emphasized.
The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in the Mediterranean province of Mersin, Türkiye's first nuclear power project, is expected to begin generating electricity with its first unit before the end of 2026, marking the country's entry into nuclear power generation.
The plant comprises four reactors with a combined capacity of 4,800 megawatts, with the remaining units planned to come online in phases. The project is being developed under a build-own-operate model by Russia's Rosatom, which is responsible for constructing and operating the facility.
Türkiye's nuclear energy program targets 20 gigawatts of installed nuclear capacity by 2050, including 12 conventional reactors across Akkuyu, Sinop and Thrace, alongside 5,000 megawatts of small modular reactor capacity.
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