Nuclear Power Plant Plans in Turkey Angers Neighbors

April 2, 2011 6:24 PM

By Laura Phillips

indian point nuclear power plant on the hudson river in buchanan new yorkIndian Point Nuclear Power Plant stands on the edge of the Hudson River near the Ramapo Fault in Buchanan, New York on … Read MoreMarch 18, 2011. UPI/John Angelillo

Nuclear power plant plans in Turkey close to an earthquake-prone area are angering neighboring countries who fear that the plant could be a risk to the whole Mediterranean region.

Dismissing claims that a new plant near fault lines could create a similar situation to Japan’s current crisis, Turkish officials insist the plant is a safe and will be necessary to keep the country’s strong economy going. Greece and Cyprus say the plan is a gamble and want the European Union to scrutinize the idea.

The EU is reassessing the whole 27-nation bloc’s energy policy and questioning the role of nuclear power on land where the 1986 Chernobyl disaster still haunts its habitants.

Turkey is standing by its plans to build three nuclear power plants in the coming years, including one at Akkuyu on the Mediterranean coast, close to the Ecemis Fault, where experts say a 7-magnitude earthquake is possible.

“Nuclear power for us is not an option because we are in a highly seismically active region,” Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said in Brussels last week. “The EU will ask for stress tests to be carried out at existing and planned facilities in neighboring countries — and we stressed the fact that Turkey is planning to build a nuclear site at Akkuyu.”

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