An electrical system does not rely on a single source. While demand changes throughout the day and year, the cost, flexibility, emission and availability characteristics of production resources also differ. The role of nuclear energy in Türkiye should be evaluated within this context.
What does energy karma mean?
Energy karma; It can refer to all the resources used in electricity, heating and transportation. The electricity generation mix focuses on the shares of sources such as coal, natural gas, hydroelectric, wind, solar, geothermal and, in the future, nuclear in production. Installed power and annual production are not the same measurement; The working order of each source is different.
What does nuclear energy provide to the system?
Nuclear power plants are designed to operate at high power for long periods of time, except for refueling and planned maintenance periods. This feature provides a low-carbon production option that is not dependent on weather conditions. The high energy density of the fuel creates a different structure from fossil fuels in terms of storage and logistics.
The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources predicts an annual production of approximately 35 TWh when Akkuyu's four units are completed. This amount is approximately 10 percent in the 2024 consumption comparison given by the Ministry. The actual annual share will depend on when the units come online and the total electricity demand for that year.
Are nuclear and renewable alternatives to each other?
Nuclear, wind and solar have different generation profiles. Wind and solar can scale quickly and require no fuel; Their production varies depending on weather conditions. Nuclear power plants focus on uninterrupted production; However, initial investment and construction times are high. Grid connections, storage, demand side management, hydropower and flexible generation resources are also part of the system design.
So the healthy question is “which one should win alone?” It is not a question of which combination better manages total cost and risk for a reliable and low-carbon system.
Things to consider in terms of supply security
Nuclear power may have the potential to reduce electricity generation by natural gas. In addition, technology supply, fuel services, spare parts, human resources and financing are also topics that can create dependency. Security of supply is not just about whether fuel comes into the country, but the resilience of the entire supply chain.
How to compare cost?
It is insufficient to compare only the power plant installation cost or only the fuel cost. Financing, construction period, capacity factor, network investment, operation, waste management and dismantling costs should be evaluated together. Assumptions of the same year and the same financing conditions should be used in comparisons.
The real contribution of nuclear energy for Türkiye; Timely and safe completion of projects can be measured through regulatory capacity, transparent cost information and planning compatible with other low-carbon resources.
Resources
- T.R. Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Nuclear Power Plants in Our Country and in the World: https://enerji.gov.tr/negm-ulkemizde-ve-dunyada-nukleer-santraller
- IEA, Nuclear Power and Secure Energy Transitions: https://www.iea.org/reports/nuclear-power-and-secure-energy-transitions
- IPCC, AR6 Working Group III: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/