Turkey has put out a tender for the construction of its first nuclear energy power plant, its Energy and Natural Resources Minister says, Press TV reported.
Taner Yildiz told journalists on Tuesday in Ankara that the Turkish government is to conclude a tender for the construction of the nuclear plant in September.
The project will be implemented if a reasonable price is offered, and the government could take a 25 percent stake in the project. He added that Turkey has offered a guaranteed 15-year purchase order for the electricity generated by the plant.
Yildiz further said that the plant would remain in operation for almost 60 years and that is why the government has to scrutinize the tender process 'very carefully'.
A joint venture composed of Russia's AtomStroyExport -- which has constructed nuclear energy power plants in Russia for Rosatom -- Inter Rao UES JSC and the Ciner Group's Park Teknik was the sole bidder in a tender held in September 2008 for the construction and operation of the nuclear plant.
The government asked the consortium to lower the price it would charge for electricity from the nuclear plant. The government believes that the price of 15.35 cents for a kWh offered by the consortium is still high, Yildiz remarked.
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