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09 February 2010 [20:12] - Today.Az
The Turkish energy minister announced on Tuesday that Turkish and Russian working groups continued their talks on establishment of a nuclear power plant in Turkey.

Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz said that Turkey should better start consuming nuclear energy by 2017.

"Turkish and Russian working groups would meet again in Istanbul this month," Yildiz told a televised interview.

Yildiz said that Turkey was planning to sign an intergovernmental agreement before the parliament's summer recess.

The minister said the construction of a nuclear power plant would last around seven years, and Turkey should have nuclear power plants at least in two regions till 2023.

A Turkish-Russian consortium led by Russia's Atomstroyexport had been the only bidder in a 2008 tender to build country's first nuclear power plant. However, Turkey's state-run electricity wholesaler TETAS canceled the tender in November 2009.

Also, Yildiz enumerated energy projects with Azerbaijan as the Shah Deniz 1 project, Shah Deniz 2 project and talks on natural gas connections between 2016 and 2017, and connection to Europe via Turkey.

Yildiz said there were no problems in Shah Deniz 1 project, but the problem was related with transit fees.

Turkey and Azerbaijan had not yet agreed on the price offer regarding Shah Deniz 2 project.

"We cannot sign the package of agreements before we agree on all issues," Yildiz said.

Yildiz said Turkey believed its offers were reasonable, and it could agree with Azerbaijan.

The minister also said Turkey could start cooperating with Iran on natural gas, and could sign a marketing agreement for 17.5 billion cubic meters of gas.

/World Bulletin/


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