Germany’s sanctions regime, coupled with a tough export control law, threatens to derail its relationship with Turkey once again. After blocking the export of Eurofighter Typhoons, Germany is now sitting on delivery of key parts required for the construction of Turkey’s nuclear power plant.
German company Siemens Energy has withheld crucial parts needed for the completion of Turkey’s Akkuyu power plant, causing delays in its opening, according to recent reports.
Alparslan Bayraktar, the Turkish minister of energy and natural resources, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Siemens’s non-delivery could delay the start of the Akkuyu power plant’s first reactor by a few months. Bayraktar said this was based on a political stance, mentioning that it was earlier raised in an official communication.
While more than 90% of Turkey’s first nuclear power reactor has been constructed, the last phase of construction has run into problems due to the German firm withholding exports. Bayraktar said, “There are difficulties we face due to the nature of nuclear. Unfortunately, there are also difficulties arising from external sources.”
The $20 billion Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant is situated in Mersin on the Mediterranean coast and is part of an aspirational clean energy project undertaken by Turkey. When all four of its 1,200-megawatt reactors are operational, Akkuyu hopes to supply 10% of Turkey’s energy demand.
Although the first reactor was originally scheduled to begin operations in 2023, obstacles to funding and export of components from foreign nations have put the project’s completion at risk. Detailing how the delay has affected work at the power plant, Bayraktar said: “The equipment is used at the construction site, which provides the transmission of electricity. Unfortunately, it has the effect of slowing down construction.”
He further noted, “There is a decision taken with such a political attitude on an issue that has no legal basis and is not subject to any international sanctions.”
Bayraktar said that the German company Siemens was deliberately delaying the delivery of important nuclear power plant equipment. He said that the corporation needs to “pay a price,” particularly since it is so well-established in the Turkish industry.
Germany’s loss, however, could be Russia and China’s gain. Bayraktar claimed that Rosatom, the Russian government-owned nuclear energy company, had already signed agreements with Chinese businesses to produce comparable parts.
“There are alternatives. Rosatom already ordered alternative parts from Chinese (firms), and they will come from China,” Bayraktar said, without naming the Chinese companies. Despite having cooperated with Siemens Energy for years, Türkiye could think of fining the German company for the delay, he said.
While Siemens has not yet given a plausible reason for delaying the delivery, there is apprehension that it is because the power plant is being constructed with Russian assistance.
As far back as 2010, Russia and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement for the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), which would include four VVER-1200 power units with a total installed capacity of 4,800 MW.
The power plant has continued to be a contentious issue, particularly given Turkey’s membership in the NATO alliance.
The construction of the power plant began in 2013 and picked up speed in 2018. However, its future ran into uncertainty in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which led to the imposition of international sanctions against Russia.
Less than a month into the invasion, Turkish and Russian officials discussed potential roadblocks to the construction, including funding and the export of equipment from third countries, as reported by Bloomberg.
At that time, Turkey expressed concerns that sanctions on Rosatom (the Russian company involved in the construction of the plant) may potentially have an impact on Akkuyu’s equipment supply chain by preventing vendors from offering services, technology, and apparatus to the energy sector.
Regarding the delay of delivery from Germany, Bayraktar said that it could be likely due to sanctions on Russia. Dismayed by Germany, he said the German trade policies and sanctions seemed inconsistent.
Speaking in July, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan claimed that Germany was making them wait at Customs instead of permitting the transfer of some items needed for the Akkuyu facility. “This has seriously bothered us. I reminded German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of that in our bilateral meeting,” Erdoğan said at that time.
This is not the first instance of Turkey’s frustration with Germany, particularly regarding Germany’s obstruction of critical supplies to Ankara on multiple occasions.
The recent delay in component deliveries for the Akkuyu project is a stark reminder of Berlin’s continued restrictions on exports to Turkey, a long-standing point of contention between the two nations.
Germany Blocks Eurofighter Typhoons
Germany has come under fire from several quarters owing to export controls and Berlin’s political reluctance to sell military equipment to governments with poor human rights and records.
The German government’s preferred course of action is to further tighten regulations, especially concerning issues of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in importing countries. Germany suspended the supply of weapons to Turkey in 2019 following a Turkish attack on the Kurdish YPG group in Syria.
While the Turkish administration has urged Germany to lift the restriction so that the country could purchase the Eurofighter Typhoon for its aging air force, Berlin has been unwavering in its stance.
Germany has thus far demonstrated that it is unwilling to withdraw a ban due to ongoing tensions between the two nations over issues such as Turkey’s criticism of Israel.
Germany reiterates its steadfast support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas. Additional areas of disagreement between the two countries encompass Turkey’s procurement of Russian air defense systems and its unclear relationship with Moscow, which have led to diplomatic challenges within the NATO alliance.
At the NATO summit held in Washington earlier this year, Turkish President Erdogan urged German Chancellor Scholz to lift the ban on the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighters to Turkey. He also said, “We also want to receive turbines by Siemens, which are the most critical unit of our Akkuyu nuclear plant.”
Turkey first announced its willingness to purchase 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets in November 2023, when Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Gular officially acknowledged negotiations with Spain and the UK.
Turkey requires Eurofighters to replace the void left after being removed from the F-35 program. There is growing consensus within Turkey that modernizing its F-16 fleet and obtaining Eurofighters from the European consortium would strengthen Turkey’s air force, particularly in light of the threat posed by Greece’s acquisition of French Rafale and US F-35 Lightning II.
However, despite repeated requests from Turkey’s highest echelons, Germany has refused to budge from its restrictive stance. The withholding of parts for Akkuyu may further compound the strain between the two countries—something that the Chinese and Russians could exploit by working out a deal that eliminates the need for German parts.
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