Igor Igoshin, Deputy Chairman of the Duma’s Committee on Science and High Technology:

 — construction of NPP in Turkey – will stimulate further extension of Russian-Turkish relations and increase of Russian influence in Asia and on the Balkans.

On July 14 the Turkish parliament ratified the Russian-Turkish agreement on construction of the first NPP in the country. The agreement was signed on May 12, 2010 in Ankara. Russia and Turkey will hereunder cooperate in the field of construction and operation of the NPP in Akkuyu in south Mersin province. After entry of this agreement into effect the Russian party will start the project campaign. The future NPP capacity is expected to be 4800 mW that is equal to 14% of todays capacity generated by Turkey

Igor Igoshin, Deputy Chairman of the Duma’s Committee on Science and High Technology:

I think that implementation of this project – construction of NPP in Turkey – will stimulate further extension of Russian-Turkish relations and increase of Russian influence in Asia and on the Balkans. It’s certainly a kind of extension of our, so to speak, “nuclear presence”. The mere fact of construction and further operation of NPP implies a long-term mutually beneficial cooperation connected with further plant service, supplies of fuel, etc.

I think it’s very important that Turkey closely connected by mutual economic relations with ЕС still has chosen a Russian company as a partner. As far as is known, it’s not the only nuclear power plant to be constructed by the Turks in the nearest future. It means that if this contract in Akkuyu is implemented successfully we can count upon the next one.

I think that for us this construction is also important because it contributes to additional work load for domestic producers. Certainly we also erect new power plants but foreign orders are still very helpful. Now Russia actively works in a number of countries simultaneously – India, China, NPP construction in Vietnam is planned, there is an agreement with Ukraine on construction of new power units. These are good conditions for support of the Russian machine-building industry and related branches.