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Where Does Turkey Stand in the Quest for Civilian Nuclear Energy in the Middle East?

Year 2017, Volume: 22 Issue: 2, 85 - 106, 01.08.2017

Abstract

Some Middle Eastern states have proposed massive projects for building nuclear power plants NPP as part of their energy security plans to cut down reliance on electricity production from gas or hydro resources. The gold standard of attaining nuclear energy was introduced to the region by the UAE’s experience and then Turkey came up with the BOO model of acquisition for its first NPP. The attraction of the BOO model is not only the financial relief that it brings for the aspirant country, but also the non-proliferation characteristics it carries. Turkey’s second attempt at a BOT model nuclear plant is also in line with its aim of developing civilian nuclear energy, along with international nonproliferation frameworks. This paper examines why and how Turkey launched its civilian nuclear project as part of its energy supply security trajectory and where it currently stands in the Middle East from the perspective of nuclear non-proliferation

References

  • 1 “Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Turkey: 2016 Review’’, International Energy Agency, at https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/EnergyPoliciesofIEACountriesTurkey.pdf, (last visited 1 February 2017).
  • 2 Ibid.
  • 3 Ibid.
  • 4 “The Republic of Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Strategic plan (2010-2014)”, at http://www.enerji.gov.tryayinlar_raporlar_EN/ETKB_2010_2014- Strategic_Plani_EN. (last visited 10 January 2017).
  • 5 “The Republic of Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resource Strategic Plan (2015-2019)”, at http://www.enerji.gov.tr/File/?path=ROOT%2f1%2fDocuments%2fS tratejik+Plan%2fETKB+2015-2019+Stratejik+Plani.pdf, (last visited 12 January 2017).
  • 6 “Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Turkey: 2016”, Ibid.
  • 7 Ibid.
  • 8 “Emerging Nuclear Countries: Up-dated February 2017”, World Nuclear Association, at http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/others/emergingnuclear-energy-countries.aspx, (last visited 3 January 2017).
  • 9 Turkey is dependent on gas pipeline imports from the Russian Federation 55.1 %, from Iran 16.2 % and from Azerbaijan 12.8 % but also LNG imports from Algeria 8.1 % and Nigeria 2.9 %,; Ibid, p.11.
  • 10 Charles K. Ebinger, Kevin Massy, John P. Banks and Govinda Avasarala, “Energy Security Initiative: Models For Aspirant Civil Nuclear Energy Nations in The Middle East”, Brookings: Policy Brief, at https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/0927_middle_east_nuclear_ebinger_banks.pdf (last visited 2 February 2017).
  • 11 ‘‘Turkey: Overview’’, NTI, at http://www.nti.org/learn/countries/turkey/ (last visited 12 February 2016).
  • 12 Ibid.
  • 13 Marck Fitzpatrick, “Nuclear Programmes in the Middle East: In the Shadow of Iran”, IISS Strategic Dossier, (May 2008), p. 63.
  • 14 Stefamnia Jourdan Cara, “Nuclear Construction 1st Nuclear Power: Nuclear Power in Turkey”, Linkedin, at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nuclear-construction-1st-powerplant-turkey-stefania-jourdan-cara (last visited 3 February 2017).
  • 15 Later on, in June 2010 nuclear cooperation agreement with South Korea and then in April 2012 two similar agreements with China signed.
  • 16 After Özal’s election, the Turkish parliment passed Law No: 3096. According to this law, private enterprises were allowed to enter the industry by building new generation, transmission and distribution facilities under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model. See: “Akkuyu Nuclear Plant: What Exactly is Going On?”, at https://turkeywonk. wordpress.com/2014/04/16/the-akkuyu-nuclear-plant-what-exactly-is-going-on/ (last visited 4 February 2017).
  • 17 Ibid.
  • 18 According to this Law the vendor would be required to negotiate a bilateral arrangement to sell a certain amount of the energy that is planned to be produced at the site for up to fifteen years, directly to TETAŞ-which would then be expected to distribute it to the country. This law was a variation on the 1984, 1986 and 1999 BOT/BOO related legislation.
  • 19 Stefamnia Jourdan Cara, “Nuclear Construction 1st Nuclear Power...”, op.cit.
  • 20 “Nuclear Power in Turkey”, World Nuclear Association, at http://www.world-nuclear.org/ information-library/country-profiles/countries-t-z/turkey.aspx (last visited 11 January 2017).
  • 21 Ibid.
  • 22 Barış Şimşek, “Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant Turns into Strategic Investment”, Daily Sabah, 10 August 2016.
  • 23 “Turkey to Give Akkuyu Nuclear Project Special Status”, NUCNET: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency, at http://www.nucnet.org/all-the-news/2016/08/11/ turkey-to-give-akkuyu-nuclear-project-special-status (last visited 10 February 2017).
  • 24 The Turkey-Russia Intergovernmental Agreement that provides the legal framework for the nuclear power Project includes no direct compensation provisions. But it does incorporate provisions for the international arbitration of disputes. Besides, Turkey and Russia also have a bilateral agreement for the protection of mutual investments that could be used to initiate compensation claims.See, Sinan Ulgen, “Is this the End of MoscowAnkara Nuclear Cooperation?”, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, at http://thebulletin.org/ end-moscow-ankara-nuclear-cooperation9059 (last visited 13 January 2017).
  • 25 Jorge Morales Pedraza, “Russian Nuclear Power: Convenience at What Cost?”, Linkedin, at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/russian-nuclear-power-convenience-whatcost-jorge-morales-pedraza (last visited 12 January 2017).
  • 26 Ibid.
  • 27 Ibid.
  • 28 Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Energy Resources and Natural Resources, “The BuildOwn-Operate (BOO) Approach: Advantages and Challenges”, at https://www.iaea. org/NuclearPower/Downloadable/Meetings/2014/2014-02-04-02-07-TM-INIG/Presentations/35_S7_Turkey_Camas.pdf (last visited 23 January 2017).
  • 29 “Japan, Turkey Ink $ 22 billion Nuclear Plant Deal”, The Japan Times News, at http:// www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/05/04/national/politics-diplomacy/japan-turkeyclinch-nuclear-energy-deal/#.WLABYTuLQ2w, (last visited 22 January 2017); Ibid.
  • 30 “Turkey Ratifies Agreement for New Plant at Sinop”, World Nuclear News, at http:// www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-Turkey-ratifies-agreement-for-new-plant-atSinop-02041502.html, (last visited 4 February 2017).
  • 31 “Sinop Nuke Plan’s Start Date to be Revealed in Few Months”, Anadolu Energy News Terminal, at http://aaenergyterminal.com/newsRegion.php?newsid=10013763 (last visited 5 February 2017).
  • 32 Ibid.
  • 33 Dina Esfandiary and Gawdat Bahgat are among the eminent experts who supported the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement and have explained the reasons of why it will not lead to nuclear cascade. See, Dina Esfandiary, “Why Nuclear Dominoes Won’t Fall in the Middle East?”, at http://thebulletin.org/why-nuclear-dominoes-wont-fall-middleeast8236 (last visited 3 February 2017); Gawdat Bahgat, “Iran’s Nuclear Dael: Implications of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action”, at https://www.files.ethz.ch/ isn/192743/ISN_192562_en.pdf (last visited 11 January 2017).
  • 34 Emily Landau is among the eminent experts who have frequently touched on the likely security risks related with the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement. See, Emily Landau, “What 29 Top US Scientiests don’t Know?”, The Times of Israel, 10 August 2015.
  • 35 Dina Esfandiary, “Dominoes Won’t Fall in the Middle East?”.
  • 36 Ibid.
  • 37 Ibid.
  • 38 Ibid.
  • 39 Ebinger, Massy, Banks and Avasarala, “Energy Security Initiative”.
  • 40 Ibid.
  • 41 Ibid.
  • 42 Alison Macfairlane, “Where, How, and Why Will Nuclear Happen?”, in Adam N. Stulberg and Matrew Fuhrmann (eds.), The Nuclear Renaissance and International Security, Standford University Press, California, 2013, p. 54.
  • 43 Ebinger, Massy, Banks and Avasarala, ‘‘Energy Security Initiative”
Year 2017, Volume: 22 Issue: 2, 85 - 106, 01.08.2017

Abstract

References

  • 1 “Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Turkey: 2016 Review’’, International Energy Agency, at https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/EnergyPoliciesofIEACountriesTurkey.pdf, (last visited 1 February 2017).
  • 2 Ibid.
  • 3 Ibid.
  • 4 “The Republic of Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Strategic plan (2010-2014)”, at http://www.enerji.gov.tryayinlar_raporlar_EN/ETKB_2010_2014- Strategic_Plani_EN. (last visited 10 January 2017).
  • 5 “The Republic of Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resource Strategic Plan (2015-2019)”, at http://www.enerji.gov.tr/File/?path=ROOT%2f1%2fDocuments%2fS tratejik+Plan%2fETKB+2015-2019+Stratejik+Plani.pdf, (last visited 12 January 2017).
  • 6 “Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Turkey: 2016”, Ibid.
  • 7 Ibid.
  • 8 “Emerging Nuclear Countries: Up-dated February 2017”, World Nuclear Association, at http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/others/emergingnuclear-energy-countries.aspx, (last visited 3 January 2017).
  • 9 Turkey is dependent on gas pipeline imports from the Russian Federation 55.1 %, from Iran 16.2 % and from Azerbaijan 12.8 % but also LNG imports from Algeria 8.1 % and Nigeria 2.9 %,; Ibid, p.11.
  • 10 Charles K. Ebinger, Kevin Massy, John P. Banks and Govinda Avasarala, “Energy Security Initiative: Models For Aspirant Civil Nuclear Energy Nations in The Middle East”, Brookings: Policy Brief, at https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/0927_middle_east_nuclear_ebinger_banks.pdf (last visited 2 February 2017).
  • 11 ‘‘Turkey: Overview’’, NTI, at http://www.nti.org/learn/countries/turkey/ (last visited 12 February 2016).
  • 12 Ibid.
  • 13 Marck Fitzpatrick, “Nuclear Programmes in the Middle East: In the Shadow of Iran”, IISS Strategic Dossier, (May 2008), p. 63.
  • 14 Stefamnia Jourdan Cara, “Nuclear Construction 1st Nuclear Power: Nuclear Power in Turkey”, Linkedin, at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nuclear-construction-1st-powerplant-turkey-stefania-jourdan-cara (last visited 3 February 2017).
  • 15 Later on, in June 2010 nuclear cooperation agreement with South Korea and then in April 2012 two similar agreements with China signed.
  • 16 After Özal’s election, the Turkish parliment passed Law No: 3096. According to this law, private enterprises were allowed to enter the industry by building new generation, transmission and distribution facilities under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model. See: “Akkuyu Nuclear Plant: What Exactly is Going On?”, at https://turkeywonk. wordpress.com/2014/04/16/the-akkuyu-nuclear-plant-what-exactly-is-going-on/ (last visited 4 February 2017).
  • 17 Ibid.
  • 18 According to this Law the vendor would be required to negotiate a bilateral arrangement to sell a certain amount of the energy that is planned to be produced at the site for up to fifteen years, directly to TETAŞ-which would then be expected to distribute it to the country. This law was a variation on the 1984, 1986 and 1999 BOT/BOO related legislation.
  • 19 Stefamnia Jourdan Cara, “Nuclear Construction 1st Nuclear Power...”, op.cit.
  • 20 “Nuclear Power in Turkey”, World Nuclear Association, at http://www.world-nuclear.org/ information-library/country-profiles/countries-t-z/turkey.aspx (last visited 11 January 2017).
  • 21 Ibid.
  • 22 Barış Şimşek, “Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant Turns into Strategic Investment”, Daily Sabah, 10 August 2016.
  • 23 “Turkey to Give Akkuyu Nuclear Project Special Status”, NUCNET: The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency, at http://www.nucnet.org/all-the-news/2016/08/11/ turkey-to-give-akkuyu-nuclear-project-special-status (last visited 10 February 2017).
  • 24 The Turkey-Russia Intergovernmental Agreement that provides the legal framework for the nuclear power Project includes no direct compensation provisions. But it does incorporate provisions for the international arbitration of disputes. Besides, Turkey and Russia also have a bilateral agreement for the protection of mutual investments that could be used to initiate compensation claims.See, Sinan Ulgen, “Is this the End of MoscowAnkara Nuclear Cooperation?”, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, at http://thebulletin.org/ end-moscow-ankara-nuclear-cooperation9059 (last visited 13 January 2017).
  • 25 Jorge Morales Pedraza, “Russian Nuclear Power: Convenience at What Cost?”, Linkedin, at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/russian-nuclear-power-convenience-whatcost-jorge-morales-pedraza (last visited 12 January 2017).
  • 26 Ibid.
  • 27 Ibid.
  • 28 Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Energy Resources and Natural Resources, “The BuildOwn-Operate (BOO) Approach: Advantages and Challenges”, at https://www.iaea. org/NuclearPower/Downloadable/Meetings/2014/2014-02-04-02-07-TM-INIG/Presentations/35_S7_Turkey_Camas.pdf (last visited 23 January 2017).
  • 29 “Japan, Turkey Ink $ 22 billion Nuclear Plant Deal”, The Japan Times News, at http:// www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/05/04/national/politics-diplomacy/japan-turkeyclinch-nuclear-energy-deal/#.WLABYTuLQ2w, (last visited 22 January 2017); Ibid.
  • 30 “Turkey Ratifies Agreement for New Plant at Sinop”, World Nuclear News, at http:// www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-Turkey-ratifies-agreement-for-new-plant-atSinop-02041502.html, (last visited 4 February 2017).
  • 31 “Sinop Nuke Plan’s Start Date to be Revealed in Few Months”, Anadolu Energy News Terminal, at http://aaenergyterminal.com/newsRegion.php?newsid=10013763 (last visited 5 February 2017).
  • 32 Ibid.
  • 33 Dina Esfandiary and Gawdat Bahgat are among the eminent experts who supported the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement and have explained the reasons of why it will not lead to nuclear cascade. See, Dina Esfandiary, “Why Nuclear Dominoes Won’t Fall in the Middle East?”, at http://thebulletin.org/why-nuclear-dominoes-wont-fall-middleeast8236 (last visited 3 February 2017); Gawdat Bahgat, “Iran’s Nuclear Dael: Implications of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action”, at https://www.files.ethz.ch/ isn/192743/ISN_192562_en.pdf (last visited 11 January 2017).
  • 34 Emily Landau is among the eminent experts who have frequently touched on the likely security risks related with the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement. See, Emily Landau, “What 29 Top US Scientiests don’t Know?”, The Times of Israel, 10 August 2015.
  • 35 Dina Esfandiary, “Dominoes Won’t Fall in the Middle East?”.
  • 36 Ibid.
  • 37 Ibid.
  • 38 Ibid.
  • 39 Ebinger, Massy, Banks and Avasarala, “Energy Security Initiative”.
  • 40 Ibid.
  • 41 Ibid.
  • 42 Alison Macfairlane, “Where, How, and Why Will Nuclear Happen?”, in Adam N. Stulberg and Matrew Fuhrmann (eds.), The Nuclear Renaissance and International Security, Standford University Press, California, 2013, p. 54.
  • 43 Ebinger, Massy, Banks and Avasarala, ‘‘Energy Security Initiative”
There are 43 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Nurşin Ateşoğlu Güney

Publication Date August 1, 2017
Published in Issue Year 2017 Volume: 22 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Güney, N. A. (2017). Where Does Turkey Stand in the Quest for Civilian Nuclear Energy in the Middle East?. PERCEPTIONS: Journal of International Affairs, 22(2), 85-106.
AMA Güney NA. Where Does Turkey Stand in the Quest for Civilian Nuclear Energy in the Middle East?. PERCEPTIONS. August 2017;22(2):85-106.
Chicago Güney, Nurşin Ateşoğlu. “Where Does Turkey Stand in the Quest for Civilian Nuclear Energy in the Middle East?”. PERCEPTIONS: Journal of International Affairs 22, no. 2 (August 2017): 85-106.
EndNote Güney NA (August 1, 2017) Where Does Turkey Stand in the Quest for Civilian Nuclear Energy in the Middle East?. PERCEPTIONS: Journal of International Affairs 22 2 85–106.
IEEE N. A. Güney, “Where Does Turkey Stand in the Quest for Civilian Nuclear Energy in the Middle East?”, PERCEPTIONS, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 85–106, 2017.
ISNAD Güney, Nurşin Ateşoğlu. “Where Does Turkey Stand in the Quest for Civilian Nuclear Energy in the Middle East?”. PERCEPTIONS: Journal of International Affairs 22/2 (August 2017), 85-106.
JAMA Güney NA. Where Does Turkey Stand in the Quest for Civilian Nuclear Energy in the Middle East?. PERCEPTIONS. 2017;22:85–106.
MLA Güney, Nurşin Ateşoğlu. “Where Does Turkey Stand in the Quest for Civilian Nuclear Energy in the Middle East?”. PERCEPTIONS: Journal of International Affairs, vol. 22, no. 2, 2017, pp. 85-106.
Vancouver Güney NA. Where Does Turkey Stand in the Quest for Civilian Nuclear Energy in the Middle East?. PERCEPTIONS. 2017;22(2):85-106.