According to a recent report by Anatolia News Agency, Turkey has a positive plan to introduce three nuclear power plants by 2011 to meet the nation's ever-increasing demand for electricity. Minister Hilmi Guler, Turkish Ministry of Energy said that the country will introduce three nuclear power plants with a total installed capacity of 4,500 MWe hoping to share 8-10% of the nation's total electricity consumption. He added that Turkey hopes to operate the first nuclear power plant by 2011.
 
The Minister said that until now no concrete plans for inviting international bidding and site selection are made, however, the government will first encourage private sector's participation. If not, the Minister said, the government will initiate. He also said the government prefers thorium fuel cycle since there are significant amount of thorium deposit in the country compared to uranium. When Turkey has nuclear power plant(s) operable, the country will be the sixth nuclear power country in Asia followed by Japan, China, India, Korea and Pakistan.

It is noted that the country had a plan to construct a nuclear power plant in Akkuyu area in early 1990s. But, because of the investment difficulty, opposition from environmental groups and also from neighboring country, Turkey stopped the plan in July 2000.