The start of pilot production and the first electricity supplies from the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant are scheduled for the end of this year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced, local media report.

Erdogan added that the construction of the first reactor of the Akkuyu nuclear plant will be completed in the near future.

The president noted that Turkey has a strategic place in the global energy sector thanks to its natural resources, geographical location, and proximity to hydrocarbon reserves.

He emphasized that Turkey “intends to become a global player” in natural gas and oil exploration.