Japan ahead in race for Turkey's 2nd nuke plant

Japanese-French partnership is one step ahead of its Chinese rival in the race to build Turkey's second nuclear power plant, as the official announcement of the winning bid is to be made later this week. "The Japanese bid has the advantage, but there are still one or two issues that we need to work on together," Energy Ministry sources told the Hurriyet Daily News yesterday. "We believe that we will find a common way when (Japanese Prime Minister) Shinzo Abe comes to Turkey." Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, the world's biggest builder of nuclear reactors, is expected to be chosen to build the plant, Reuters also reported yesterday, citing unnamed Turkish government sources. Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said yesterday that Ankara would officially announce by the weekend who would construct the country's second nuclear plant, a project located in the Black Sea province of Sinop and expected to cost around $22 billion. "We are about to finalize the agreement for construction of the second nuclear power plant. China and Japan are the frontrunners," Yildiz told reporters following his meeting with a group of members of the U.S. Congress in Ankara.