Addtional Notes

"Algeria seeks to build a nuclear plant in 10 years, the country's Energy Minister Chakib Khelil said July 1." (1)

"Algeria's government will send a bill to parliament this year to regulate nuclear power generation, as the North African country aims to build a nuclear plant in 10 years, Energy Minister Chakib Khelil said." (2)

"In January 2007 Russia signed an agreement to investigate the establishment of nuclear power there. The government has also made positive statements on the matter, but referring to a 20-year time frame. A further nuclear energy cooperation agreement, with the USA, was to be signed in June 2007 and one with France was signed in December 2007, coupled with strong commercial interest from Areva. An accord with China on developing peaceful nuclear power was signed in March 2008." (4)

Addtional Notes

"Building a nuclear power plant in the west of the country was proposed in 1961. Since then a number of feasibility reports have affirmed the technical and economic feasibility. The Rooppur site in Pabna district was selected in 1963 and land was acquired... the government in 1999 expressed its firm commitment to build this Rooppur plant. In 2001 it adopted a national Nuclear Power Action Plan and in 2005 it signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with China. In 2007 the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission proposed two 500 MWe nuclear reactors for Rooppur by 2015, quoting likely costs of US$ 0.9-1.2 billion for a 600 MWe unit and US$ 1.5-2.0 billion for 1000 MWe. In April 2008 the government reiterated its intention to work with China in building the Rooppur plant and China offered funding for the project." (1)

"Bangladesh's emergency government said Sunday it will build a nuclear power plant to meet electricity shortages that have sparked riots and hit the country's economy. The International Atomic Energy Commission, the global nuclear watchdog, had approved a government plan to set up a nuclear power plant, interim Energy Minister Tapan Chowdhury told reporters." (2)

"Beijing has assured Dhaka of help in peaceful use of nuclear technology for the implementation of Rooppur nuclear power plant to meet the growing demand for energy. Beijing positively responded to Dhaka's request as the interim government chief Fakhruddin Ahmed held meetings with the Chinese officials during his recent visit to China." (5)

"A Bangladesh official who accompanied Fakhruddin in China said Beijing has suggested that Dhaka should examine the nuclear power plant in Pakistan, set up with Chinese assistance. Once Bangladesh is impressed with the plant, Dhaka and Beijing can start negotiation to replicate the China-Pakistan model of nuclear power plant in Bangladesh." (5)

"[Foreign Ministry officials] said Bangladesh had so far approached Russia, Japan and South Korea in connection with the nuclear power plant, but were yet to get any positive response. 'Among the countries that we have approached for peaceful use of nuclear power for energy generation, Russia wants to provide technical support, Korea would like to provide a portion of amount for the project and Japan's response towards the nuclear power plant is very lukewarm as it does not provide support for such projects,' said an official." (5)

"Pakistan has offered to help Bangladesh with the latter's proposed first nuclear power reactor, which was conceived when they were a single country, but never took off. Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Alamgir Babar Monday said that his country was ready to share nuclear technology for civilian purposes to help tackle the massive energy crisis. Babar said Pakistan's offer was "on the table" and it was for Bangladesh to decide whether the country wanted to discuss it, the Daily Star newspaper reported Tuesday." (6)

"Russia entered a race with China and South Korea on Sunday to win a contract to build a 1,000 megawatt nuclear power plant for energy-starved Bangladesh." (8)

"Mohammed Muzammel Haque, chief engineer at the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), claims Bangladesh has opted to build a 1100 MWe plant. But neither the time frame for completion nor the technology supplier for the long-planned plant at Rooppur, western Bangladesh plant have been decided." (9)

"Representatives of the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom and the Bangladeshi government signed on [13 May 2009] a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the nuclear sphere. The key element of Bangladesh's nuclear program is the construction of the country's first nuclear power plant. [...] Bangladesh, which is badly short of energy, plans to build two reactors in the city of Ruppur." (10)

“Absence of strong political will and a sense of uncertainty about winning political mileage have kept successive governments away from implementing Bangladesh’s lone nuclear power project, conceived nearly five decades ago, say nuclear scientists.” (11)

Addtional Notes

"Egypt will build several civilian nuclear power stations to meet its growing energy needs, President Hosni Mubarak said on Monday... ''We have to face the fact that oil and gas in the end are non-renewable energy sources,' Mubarak said in a speech after inaugurating an electricity station north of Cairo. 'And we also have to admit that we are facing a great challenge to meet increasing consumption.'" (4)

"Egypt said that it would build its first nuclear reactor at Dabba, located west of its port city of Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast" (2)

"A new agreement on peaceful uses of atomic energy was signed with Russia at the end of 2004, and a further one in March 2008, reviving Egypt's plans for a nuclear power and desalination plant there, supported by Rosatom." (5)

Egypt has resisted the IAEA Additional Protocol because of its frustration with Israel's continued status outside the NPT. (7, 8)

"The Egyptian program is transparent and certified by the international community and the [International Atomic Energy Agency]" (2)

"Egypt announced on Sunday that it will assess on May 29 tender papers of the 21 international consultancy houses that bid for building Egyptian first nuclear power plant. Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Energy Hassan Younis made the announcement at a workshop on Egyptian nuclear program. He noted that Egypt, in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, has taken several steps to provide an appropriate infrastructure of Egypt’s first ever nuclear plant, as well as well-trained human cadres." (5)

"Also during the visit to Egypt, the Russian delegation received an official invitation to participate in the tender for the construction of Egypt's first nuclear power plant. [...] 'We have an official invitation and the tender will be called for in late 2010, most likely,' Kiriyenko was quoted as saying by the Itar-Tass news agency." (9)

The selection of a nuclear safety consultancy "is intended to enable a nuclear regulatory body, up to international standards, to be created in Egypt prior to the construction of the country's first nuclear power plant." (10)

Addtional Notes

"In December 2006 the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Oman - announced that the Council was commissioning a study on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. France agreed to work with them on this, and Iran pledged assistance with nuclear technology." (1)

"In February 2007 the six states agreed with the IAEA to cooperate on a feasibility study for a regional nuclear power and desalination program. Saudi Arabia was leading the investigation and thought that a program might emerge about 2009." (1)

"Gulf Cooperation Council partners Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE decided in December 2006 to develop a joint nuclear technology programme for peaceful uses and have been in talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency." (2)

"The [GCC] countries have ordered a study to draw up a joint nuclear technology programme. They agreed to organise joint conferences and workshops, as well as increase the exchange of knowledge and technical expertise. They also approved higher educational programmes, which will be carried out in regional universities under the supervision of the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States." (3)

Final statement of the 27th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 9-10 Dec. 2006: "The (leaders) commissioned a study by members of the Gulf Cooperation Council to set up a common program in the area of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, according to international standards and systems." (4)

"Abdul Rahman al-Attiyah said he and other GCC officials would travel to the Vienna headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency Feb. 22 to seek help planning the six-nation Arab bloc's first foray into nuclear power. The GCC announced its intention to study a peaceful nuclear program in December, but has revealed few details about its plans." (5)

"Talks opened yesterday between six Middle Eastern nations aiming to create a common nuclear fuel source for civilian power production in Gulf states, the Qatar News Agency reported." (9)

"Within the GCC, thus far there has been little coordination or effective cooperation in setting up a nuclear power program benefitting member states." (8)

"A nuclear training centre serving the entire Gulf could be set up in Bahrain, it was revealed yesterday [5 May 2008]." (10)

"The Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) common nuclear power plant is expected to become a reality by 2015. The GCC will announce the name of the host country early next year [2010], said a top official who is actively involved in the coordination of the proposed nuclear power plant." (11)

Addtional Notes

"Last month I visited the Islamic Republic of Iran, at the invitation of the Government, to discuss its plans for the use of nuclear power as well as information that came to our knowledge last September concerning the development of nuclear fuel cycle facilities in Iran" - Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the IAEA (1)

"Bushehr is also home to a nearly completed reactor built by Russia" (2)

"Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation on Tuesday tasked six local companies to hunt for potential sites for new nuclear power plants, the official news agency INRA reported." (3)

"The AEOI has announced that a new indigenous 360 MWe nuclear power plant is to be built at Darkhovin in Khuzestan province in the southwest, at the head of the Gulf, where two Framatome 900 MWe plants were about to be constructed in 1970s. It has also invited bids for two units of up to 1600 MWe to be built near Bushehr and come on line about 2016." (4)

"In 1994, Russia's Minatom and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) agreed to complete unit 1 of Bushehr nuclear power plant with a VVER-1000 unit, using mostly the infrastructure already in place. This long-awaited 915 MWe plant, being constructed by Atomstroyexport, is nearing completion and is expected to start up late in 2008, with commercial operation mid 2009. A second reactor is planned at the site." (4)

Ahmad Fayyazbakhsh, deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran: "Our organization has decided to build two new plants with a capability of 1,000 MW each instead of completing the second unit of the Bushehr nuclear power plant." (11)

"Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, whose construction is nearing completion by Russia contractors, will become operational no later than March 2010, an Iranian official has said." (10)

"The AEOI has announced that a new indigenous 360 MWe nuclear power plant is to be built at Darkhovin in Khuzestan province in the southwest, at the head of the Gulf, where two Framatome 900 MWe plants were about to be constructed in 1970s. It has also invited bids for two units of up to 1600 MWe to be built near Bushehr and come on line about 2016." (4)

"But in Iran, Vice President Gholam Reza Aghazadeh said his country will continue pursuing enrichment to supply a 'new' 360-megawatt power plant at Darkhovin in southwestern Iran. Centrifuges at Iran's enrichment plant in Natanz eventually will supply the enriched uranium to Darkhovin, Aghazadeh said." (7)

"The Russian company also trains Iranian specialists and has so far delivered eight fuel shipments to the reactor." (8)

“The final test run of Iran's first nuclear power plant will begin within the next several days, Iran's vice president said on Monday. Ali Akbar Salehi, who heads the country's Atomic Energy Organization, earlier said the plant was 96% complete, almost all of the equipment had been installed, and that after testing the plant would go into full operation.” (12)

“On [21 September 2009], Iran informed the IAEA in a letter that a new pilot fuel enrichment plant is under construction in the country. […] No nuclear material has yet been introduced into the new enrichment plant under construction, the IAEA said.” (13)

Addtional Notes

"In what a key minister called “an historic measure,” Italy’s Chamber of Deputies on July 1 [2009] approved a bill designed to pave the way for reintroduction of nuclear power in Italy... A senior Italian utility official said that if reactor technology can be chosen expeditiously and decrees implementing the law’s provisions are issued by 2010, work on the first new Italian nuclear power reactor could start by “2013-2015” and the unit could go online in “2017-2020, if everything goes well.” (7)

"Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi says Italy will have a plan for nuclear energy by early next year... Mr Berlusconi said his Conservative government would unveil a national energy plan by next European spring. He said the plan envisioned launching nuclear energy and renewable energies as a way to diversify and to lower utility bills." (4)

"Italy's economic minister, Claudio Scajola, held meetings with energy minister and former AtomStroyExport president Sergio Shmatko, with the Russian ministry saying their talks had set priorities for their countries' cooperation in gas, electricity and nuclear power generation." (1)

"In 2008 Energy Lab, described as a think tank and involving major utilities, began a feasibility study on building four new nuclear power plants in Italy. ENEL is reported to favour building four or five 1800 MWe nuclear plants, funded internally or via a consortium with major consumers, and to take nuclear to a 20 to 25% share of indigenous supply." (2)

"Italy was a pioneer of civil nuclear power and built several reactors which operated 1963-90. But following a referendum in November 1987, provoked by the Chernobyl accident 18 months earlier, work on the nuclear program was largely stopped. In 1988 the government resolved to halt all nuclear construction, shut the remaining reactors and decommission them from 1990. Italy then remained largely inactive in nuclear energy for 15 years." (2)

"Italy will sign a nuclear protocol with the United States next month which will give American companies the chance to compete to build nuclear power stations in Italy, the country's industry minister told a newspaper." (8)

"Italy, which plans to reintroduce atomic power after a ban dating from the Chernobyl disaster, will announce sites for new nuclear plants in 2011, an official said." (9)

Addtional Notes

"Kazakh prime minister Karim Masimov announced the government decision to go ahead on 21 November." (1)

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev: "Intensive development of our economy requires new energy resources. The government and Kazatomprom are preparing on my instruction and in cooperation with Russian colleagues to build a nuclear power plant in your region [Aktau]. It is very important to complete the project on time. We cannot rely entirely on gas." (5)

"Kazakh plans for nuclear power include large light-water reactors for the southern region, 300 MWe class units for the western part and smaller cogeneration units in regional cities. There are proposals for a new nuclear power plant near Lake Balkhash in the south of the country near Almaty. A feasibility study on building a new 600 MWe nuclear power plant, here or at Aktau, is being undertaken and will be complete by 2009. Power from the first unit is expected in 2016, and the second in 2017." (3)

"The Caspian town of Aktau is being considered as a possible site for the 600MWe plant." (2)

"A July 2006 joint venture with Russia's Atomstroyexport envisages development and marketing of innovative small and medium-sized reactors, starting with OKBM's VBER-300 as baseline for Kazakh units. Atomstroyexport expects to build the initial one." (3)

"The [Mangistau] region has formerly hosted a BN-350 fast-breeder reactor at Aktau, which operated between 1972 and 1999." (1)

"[The Aktau plant] is the first of many plants. The country's National Nuclear Center, which conducts research on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, has proposed building 20 low-capacity nuclear plants (50-100 megawatts each) to provide energy to small Kazakh towns." (6)

"Kazakhstan has 15% of the world's uranium resources and an expanding mining sector, aiming for 15,000 tU annual production by 2010 and 30,000 tonnes by 2018." (7)

"Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Kazakhstan has produced a bilateral agreement to set up an international uranium enrichment center in East Siberia." (8)

"Kazakhstani government puts off construction of a nuclear power plant in the city of Aktau that is due to be fitted out with Russian nuclear reactors." (9)

“A. Magauov and IAEA Deputy Director General - Director of Technical Cooperation Department, Anna Maria Chetto, signed Technical Cooperation Program Framework between Kazakhstan and IAEA for 2010 - 2015. Vice Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of Kazakhstan, Aset Magauov also held the meetings with IAEA leadership and the heads of delegations of India, Mongolia, the USA, Ukraine, and Japan.” (10)

Addtional Notes

"Kuwait's cabinet has approved a draft project to set up a national nuclear energy commission, the third Middle Eastern country to take steps towards establishing its own nuclear power program in recent months. In setting up its own nuclear energy commission Kuwait is echoing the UAE in showing further commitment towards nuclear power plans." (1)

"Kuwait is aiming to have a nuclear power station operational within seven years, announced the country's Minister of Electricity and Water Bader Al-Shuraiaan in Paris. KUNA also reported that HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has formed a special committee to undertake the task of acquiring and using the nuclear energy in line with international treaties and resolutions. A special team has also been assigned to decide on the site for the nuclear reactor and Al-Shuraiaan said it was likely to be up and running in seven years." (2)

Addtional Notes

"Malaysia will use nuclear energy to produce electricity by 2023 as global supplies of natural gas and coal deplete. Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said the Govern­ment was left with no choice but to use nu­clear energy as it was the better alternative." (5)

"Malaysia will turn to nuclear energy to generate electricity by 2023 as supplies of fossil fuel eventually run out, a minister said according to Saturday news reports." (6)

IAEA Director-General Dr Mohamed ElBaradei: "At the IAEA, we stand ready to assist you [Malaysia] in finding solutions (to energy needs) that best suit your needs and priorities." (2)

"[IAEA Director-General Dr Mohamed ElBaradei] said the IAEA had a large and active technical cooperation (TC) programme in Malaysia, citing as an example the United Nations agency's support for the use of isotope hydrology in Malaysia to combat groundwater contamination in industrial sites." (2)

"The Republic of Korea (RoK) has offered to train Malaysian personnel in nuclear energy management." (3)

"France has offered to help Malaysia build its first nuclear power plant as an alternative source of energy supply, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin." He continues, “They [France] have also invited Malaysian experts to visit France to discuss the benefits of developing such a plant.” (7)

Addtional Notes

"Morocco has growing electricity demand and produced 22.6 billion kWh in 2005. It also has requirements for desalination." (3)

"In April 2006, Morocco announced that it plans to build a nuclear power program." (5)

"The IAEA is working with Morocco on a project that aids the National Electricity Office with implementing the building program for the first nuclear power plant at Sidi Boulbra." (1)

"The government has plans for building an initial nuclear power plant in 2016-17 at Sidi Boulbra, and [Russian company] Atomstroyexport is assisting with feasibility studies for this." (3)

"The site of Sidi Boulbra, located on the Atlantic coast between the cities of Safi and Essaouira, was selected and qualified as a site able to receive an NPP under the required nuclear safety conditions." (1)

"In October 2007 a partnership with France to develop a nuclear power plant near Marrakesh was foreshadowed and a nuclear energy cooperation agreement was signed." (3)

"France will help Morocco build a civil nuclear energy industry to underpin its development, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on a visit to the North African country." (4)

"Morocco has ...an atomic research partnership with France, but wants to take cooperation a step further and aims to build a nuclear power station in the region around Marrakech." (4)

Addtional Notes

Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, has indicated its willingness to establish nuclear power plants to augment its electricity generation, currently put at about 3,000 mw compared to the 6,000 mw domestic demand. (1)

"To address rapidly increasing base-load electricity demand, Nigeria has sought the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency to develop plans for up to 4000 MWe of nuclear capacity by 2025." (4)

"Nigeria hopes to exploit nuclear energy for power generation and other peaceful purposes, President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared." (2)

"Early in 2008 the Minister of Science and Technology said that the government has reaffirmed its determination to initiate its nuclear energy program by approving a technical framework for it." (4)

"To address rapidly increasing base-load electricity demand, Nigeria has sought the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency to develop plans for up to 4000 MWe of nuclear capacity by 2025." (4)

"Djermouni Belkacem, leader of an IAEA mission team to Nigeria, gave the commendation in the capital Abuja while undertaking an audit of nuclear regulatory infrastructure and accessing Nigeria's level of preparedness to deploy nuclear facilities in electricity generation." (1)

"[President] Obasanjo said that the international benchmark of 10 to 12 years for the attainment of proficiency in the development and deployment of nuclear power-plants for electricity generation - from project conception and planning to the actual commissioning of a nuclear power plant project -would be adhered to by Nigeria." (3)

Addtional Notes

"In response to the 1973 oil crisis, the Philippines decided to build the two-unit Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP). Construction of Bataan 1 - a 621 MWe Westinghouse pressurized water reactor - began in 1976 and it was completed in 1984 at a cost of $460 million. However, due to financial issues and safety concerns, the plant was never loaded with fuel or operated." (1)

"It is a $2.2-billion burden on an impoverished nation, running up interest charges of about $350,000 a day, and may never produce a watt of nuclear-generated electricity." (3)

"In 2007 the Philippines Department of Energy (DOE) set up a project to study the development of nuclear energy, in the context of an overall energy plan for the country. Nuclear energy would be considered in order to reduce the country's dependency on imported oil and coal. In 2008 an IAEA mission commissioned by the government advised that Bataan-1 could be refurbished and economically and safely be operated for 30 years." (1)

"An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team has told the Philippines government it must screen a mothballed power plant with senior experts before considering opening it...The Bataan PWR was completed in 1984, but never went online." (2)

"Earlier this year, the IAEA said a mothballed nuclear power plant in the Philippines must be "thoroughly evaluated" by technical inspections and economic evaluations by nuclear power experts with experience in preservation management." (4)

"The National Power Co., the government-owned electric utility, chose a site for the plant that is just five miles from a volcano and within 25 miles of three geologic faults. Nuclear experts who examined the site at Philippine request questioned its safety." (3)

"The foreign affairs minister of the Philippines has held talks in Vienna, Austria with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA said director-general Mohamed ElBaradei met Alberto Romulo last week to discuss issues related to the agency's cooperation with the Philippines in its potential development of a nuclear energy programme." (4)

"South Korea has signed a nuclear energy cooperation agreement with Jordan and is expected to agree to conduct a feasibility study into reviving the Bataan nuclear power plant project in the Philippines." (5)

"[Filipino] Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said nuclear power as an option to energy security was one of the government’s long-term thrusts... We have to work on this and it’s a slow process, but we have to get there eventually.” (6)

Addtional Notes

"Senegal's newly re-elected President Abdoulaye Wade has contacted foreign experts to advise on building a nuclear power plant." (1)

"'It's an option the head of state has been working on for some time and he has already been in contact with nuclear powers who are behind Senegal,' he said. He gave no details on which countries had been contacted for advice." (1)

Addtional Notes

"In June 2007 the Energy Minister announced that EGAT will proceed with plans to build a 4000 MWe nuclear power plant, and has budgeted some US$ 53 million between 2008 and 2011 on preparatory work, half of it coming from oil revenues. Construction will commence in 2015, to operate from 2020. The capital cost is expected to be US$ 6 billion and electricity cost about USD 6 cents/kWh, slightly less than from coal." (1)

"In Feb 2008 the government officially launched a three-year study of nuclear power in the country. The $33 million study of nuclear power will be conducted by the new Nuclear Power Development Office. The plan includes a feasibility study, site selection, public acceptance plan and development of the required technical skills for local personnel." (2)

"A government committee set up this spring to plan for introduction of nuclear power in Thailand by around 2020 will before the end of 2009 identify at least one specific site to host four 1,000-MW power reactors, senior Bangkok officials told Platts last month" (3).

"The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) will on Wednesday sign a contract with Burns and Roe Asia to conduct a three-year feasibility study on the location, technology and size of the plant. Samerjai said the ideal location would be in the South as the plant would require a lot of cooling water and it would need over 1,000 rai to accommodate future expansion." (5)

"China will consider a request for transfer of nuclear energy technology according to Thai government spokesperson Chaiya Yimwilai. Visiting Chinese defence minister Gen. Cao Gangchuan told Thai Prime Minister Gen. Surayud Chulanon that he would discuss the issue of transfer of nuclear technology with the relevant Chinese agencies." (4)

"Engineering firm Burns & Roe on October 1 will begin to carry out a 20-month feasibility study for Thailand's first nuclear power plant, a senior Thai official said in a September 29 interview." (7)

“In the aftermath of the global economic and financial crisis that has buffeted Thailand since late 2008, [...] the government this year has cut back the number of reactors expected to be deployed by 2021 from four to two. The officials said that the cutback would effectively reduce the nuclear generation capacity to be set up by 2021 from 4,000 MW to 2,000 MW.” (8)

Addtional Notes

"In August 2006 the government said it planned to have three nuclear power plants total 4500 MWe operating by 2012-15 ...The first units of some 5000 MWe total will be built at Akkuyu, since the site is already licensed, but licensing is proceeding for Sinop." (1)

"The bidding for the [Akkuyu] plant was originally announced on December 13th 1996. Bids were received by October 1997. The contract was supposed to have been awarded in October 1999, but the deadline was extended to 31st December 1999 and the project was eventually canceled in July 2000." (5)

"Earlier this year the Turkish Ministry of Energy once again solicited bids to construct Turkey's first nuclear power plant, to be built in Akkuyu near the popular tourist resort city of Mersin on the Mediterranean. A second nuclear power plant is also planned near the village of Abali in Sinop's Inceburun district on the Black Sea." (9)

"TETAS [The Turkish Electricity Trade & Contract Corporation] called for tenders in March 2008, inviting bids by 24 September for the first nuclear power plant at Akkuyu." (1)

"Turkey suffered a setback in its efforts to reduce a costly dependence on energy imports yesterday [24 Sept. 2008], receiving just one bid in a tender to build the country's first nuclear power plant. ...The only proposal submitted by yesterday's deadline came from a consortium led by Russia's Atomstroyexport and Inter Rao, together with Turkey's Park Teknik Group." (7)

"Turkey will make changes to a nuclear energy tender law nearly two months after it received just one bid in a tender to build the country's first nuclear power plant… Many companies had requested changes to the law before the tender. Analysts say it doesn't provide enough guarantees to investors." (10)

"President George W. Bush has green-lighted a civilian nuclear cooperation deal with Turkey, saying that private-sector proliferation worries have been addressed, the White House said Wednesday …The agreement "permits the transfer of technology, material, equipment (including reactors), and components for nuclear research and nuclear power production," a White House official said." (6)

Syrian Oil Minister Sufiyan al-AW: "In the future we could found joint nuclear power plants for electricity production." (8)

"Many Turks fear that the 4,000-megawatt Akkuyu facility, if constructed, could suffer a meltdown like Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear facility underwent in April 1986." (9)

"The [civilian nuclear] issue will be discussed at a nuclear energy meeting that will be held in Istanbul Friday. In addition to Tomihiro Taniguchi, the No. 2 at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), top-level officials from America, Russia, France and the United Kingdom will be reportedly attending the meeting." (11)

"Turkey will complete within two months [of July 2009] its review of a bid by Russia’s Atomstroiexport to build the country’s first nuclear power plant, a year after the company won the tender, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said." (13)

"The prime ministers of Russia and Turkey signed an agreement Thursday on the two countries' nuclear cooperation and Russian firms' participation in the construction of Turkey's first nuclear power plant. [...] Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Russia would soon coordinate construction details with the Turkish authorities and start implementing the project." (14)

"The Turkish parliament has ratified the cooperation agreement on the construction of the country's first nuclear power plant. Russia is to build, own and operate four 1200 MWe VVER reactors at Akkuyu on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, under an intergovernmental deal signed in May 2010, with Turkish firms expected to take up significant shares in the project." (16)

Addtional Notes

"Russia’s deepening strategic partnership with Venezuela took a dramatic step forward on Tuesday when it emerged that Moscow has agreed to build Venezuela’s first nuclear reactor. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is expected to sign a nuclear cooperation agreement with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, during a visit to Latin America next week, part of a determined Russian push into the region." (6)

"President Hugo Chavez said that his government is interested in developing nuclear energy…Chavez said in his weekly broadcast that nuclear power is one of the ways of diversifying sources of energy…" (1)

"The National Assembly is working on legislation which includes nuclear power as an option. The President announced in November 2007 that the country will pursue a nuclear power program, inspired by Brazil and Argentina." (2)

"Chavez, a self-described socialist revolutionary infamous for his chumminess with Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, first mentioned his nuclear ambitions in May after a meeting with Iranian officials. 'We want to initiate nuclear research and ask for help from countries like Iran,' Chavez said." (3)

"The French and Venezuelan foreign ministers say they are looking at possibly collaborating on civilian nuclear energy projects in Venezuela." (7)