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Turkey will swiftly start preparations for its second and third nuclear power plants, the Turkish President said Tuesday.

These will follow the country’s first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu, which is being built in the southern Mersin province.

Anadolu Agency quoted the Turkish President as saying, “It is not possible for anyone who is sensitive toward Turkey’s economic independence and the welfare of the Turkish nation to oppose nuclear energy," considering that Turkey was late in acquiring this energy, which the world has been using for over 60 years. 

He also considered that operating the Akkuyu plant would support Ankara's efforts to confront climate change and bridge the country's nuclear energy gap.

Erdogan described those who reject Turkey’s possession of nuclear energy as "ignorant, if not traitors," stressing his country’s intention to possess nuclear energy despite environmental concerns by opponents, highlighting that there are 443 nuclear power plants in 32 countries around the world.

Last March, Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin inaugurated the plant’s third reactor, out of a total of four.

Akkuyu is being built by Russia’s state nuclear energy firm Rosatom. The two countries signed a cooperation agreement in 2010 and began the construction in 2018. The initial unit of the plant is expected to be completed by May 2023.