Erdogan Proposes Nuclear Energy Cooperation with Greece Amidst Regional Developments

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, in the wake of high-level meetings in Athens, expressed Turkey's keen interest in collaborating with Greece on nuclear energy. The proposed initiative comes amidst significant regional developments, including Greece's ambitious 1.9 billion-euro ($2.05 billion) electricity cable project set to commence in the new year.

The cable, part of the Great Sea Interconnector project connecting the power grids of Greece and Cyprus, is poised to strengthen regional energy ties. An extension of the interconnector is also on the horizon, aiming to integrate Israel's power grid into the network.

Manousos Manousakis, President and CEO of Greece's Independent Power Transmission Operator, announced that the construction of the Crete-Cyprus section of the cable is scheduled to commence, with completion expected by 2029 at the latest. Additionally, contracts with technology giant Siemens for the construction of vital converter stations on the Greek island of Crete and in Cyprus are anticipated to be finalized next year.

Technical talks on moving ahead with the Cyprus-Israel section are on hiatus because of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, according to Papanastasiou.

Erdogan, speaking on his return from Athens, conveyed Turkey's willingness to provide Greece with an opportunity to participate in a nuclear power plant project in the Sinop province, emphasizing the potential for enhanced cooperation between the NATO allies. Against the backdrop of these developments, Erdogan's proposal aligns with broader efforts to forge stronger diplomatic and energy-related ties in the Eastern Mediterranean region.