After quakes in southern Türkiye, no damage found at nuclear plant under construction

By Ebru Sengul Cevrioglu

ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye’s first nuclear power plant, now under construction in the country’s south, suffered no damage from the earthquakes that jolted the region on Monday morning, officials said.

“Our experts did not detect any damage to the buildings, equipment, or cranes in the field. Construction and assembly work continues,” said Anastasia Zoteeva, head of the Akkuyu Nuclear project company, adding that the earthquake was felt at a magnitude of approximately 3 in the region in Mersin, where the plant is being built.

According to Zoteeva, state civil defense and emergency protection units are cooperating with the plant’s emergency units and are preparing to send equipment and personnel to the region.

The 7.7 magnitude quake struck at 4.17 a.m. (0117GMT) in Turkey’s southern province of Kahramanmaras, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

Akkuyu on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast will be the country’s first nuclear-powered power plant. The plant, expected to have an installed capacity of 4,800 megawatts and four reactors, is set to begin producing power later this year.