During the Verona Eurasian Economic Forum in Istanbul , Minister Alparslan Bayraktar detailed a plan to turn Turkiye into a major Eurasian energy hub. This strategy aims to lower the country's 70% reliance on imported power by expanding nuclear and renewable sectors .
The Akkuyu Milestone and the 20 GW Nuclear Target
Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced at the Verona Eurasian Economic Forum that the first reactor at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, a collaboration with Russia's Rosatom, is expected to be commissioned within weeks. This 4.8 gigawatt facility is a vital component of a long-term strategy to provide roughly ten percent of the nation's electricity demand through nuclear power. As the report notes, Turkiye aims to expand its cumulative nuclear capacity to 20 gigawatts by 2050, incorporating both traditional units and small modular reactors to ensure long-term energy security.
Scaling Wind and Solar Beyond 43 Gigawatts
To diversify its energy mix, Turkiye is leveraging its existing 43 gigawatts of wind and solar capacity to drive further growth. this move is driven by the urgent need to address the fact that nearly 70% of the nation's energy requirements are currently satisfied via imports. According to Minister Bayraktar, the government is preparing to launch its first offshore wind tenders in early 2027 , part of a broader effort to add 2 gigawatts of renewable capacity every year via the Renewable Energy Resource Area programme. This transition will require significant upgrades to the national electricity grid to facilitate cross-border trade and manage the integration of new, intermittent power sources.
The "35 by 35" Goal and the COP31 Antalya Summit
Turkiye is also leveraging its upcoming role as the host of the COP31 United Nations Climate-Change Conference in Antalya to champion global electrification. A key pillar of this agenda is the "35 by 35" objective, which seeks to raise the global share of electricity in final energy consumption to 35% by 2035.. Minister Bayraktar argued that this transition must be fueled by private capital and cutting-edge technology rather than rigid,universal mandates that ignore local development needs.
Integrating Eurasian Markets and the 16 Trillion Rouble Surge
The forum also addressed the growing financial connectivity between Eurasian nations, specifically through the integration of regional capital markets. Russian Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov highlighted efforts within the Eurasian Economic Union to create better market access for professional investors. This shift is mirrored in the Russian domestic market, where Moscow Exchange Chairman Viktor Zhidkov reported that retail stock investment has climbed to 16 trillion roubles over the last five years. Furthermore, the report highlights a robust domestic capital market, noting that corporate bond placements reached 7.2 trillion roubles in the reported 2026 figures.
The Geopolitical Risks of the Rosatom Partnership
While the forum outlined a path toward regional integration, several critical questions remain regarding the geopolitical implications of Turkiye's strategy. The source does not address how a deepening reliance on Russian technology through the Rosatom-led Akkuyu project might impact Turkiye's energy relations with the West. Additionally, it remains unclear how the proposed financial linkages within the BRICS group and the Eurasian Economic Union will be received by the international financial institutions that Turkiye hopes to partner with for its energy transition.
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