NINA NETZER AND JOCHEN STEINHILBER(EDS.)| THE END OF NUCLEAR ENERGY? However, antinuclear protests have increased since Fukushima. Together with the 25 th anniversary of Cher­nobyl, several big demonstrations have taken place, such as a long human chain action along several points of the Mersin province; a lively demonstration just one week after the accident jointly organised by Green Party, Greenpeace, and Global Action Group in Istanbul with thousands of people; and a large Chernobyl rally in Istan­bul organised by the Anti-Nuclear Platform. The anti­nuclear movement and several journalists have started a debate about a referendum on nuclear power in Tur­key. The major opposition party, CHP, declared that they are also in favour of a referendum, although they are not exclusively against nuclear power(but openly against the Russian Akkuyu NPP project). Greenpeace recently ordered a poll about public opinion on nuclear power in Turkey. The study was conducted by a well-known research company using a representative sample. The result is that 64 per cent of the population would say»no« to nuclear power in Turkey, if there were a referendum. The main justifications for opposition, particularly after Fukushima, can be summarised as follows: n Accident risks and waste problem are always the up­permost concerns. Akkuyu is in the middle of the most important tourist region of the country, and even rumours can have an economic cost. Akkuyu is also on an active earthquake zone, the Ecemiş fault line, but this is disregarded in the project. There are even new findings that the expected earthquake acceleration is higher than originally stated, but this crucial information is hidden by the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority(TAEK). The site licence for Akkuyu – given without any consideration of earthquake risks, since they were not known in 1976 – is out­of-date, and this fact is stated even by Prof Tolga Yarman, who is one of the scientists who signed the licence. The Turkey-Russia agreement gives exagger­ated privileges and full control to Russia, without any monitoring mechanism by a national independent institution. This is sometimes compared to the cir­cumstances of a military base. n Turkey is very dependent on Russia’s fossil fuel sup­ply(66 per cent for oil, and 33 per cent for gas), and nuclear energy will make its energy dependency on Russia even higher. VVER-1200 is not a tested de­sign, and Russia does not have any experience with earthquakes. Also, 12.35 US cent / kWh is a relatively high price. n Turkey’s current energy mix is highly fossil fuel­based. Almost 50 per cent of electricity production is from natural gas, and more than 30 per cent from coal. Wind barely reaches one per cent. However, Turkey has a very rich renewable energy potential, especially for wind, solar, and geothermal, as well as a great»negawatt« potential from energy efficiency – but all these are overshadowed by the obsession for nuclear energy. n And last but not least, most of the population – and particularly people in Mersin and Sinop – are strictly against nuclear power. And this fact became more apparent after Fukushima. Every concern counts. But now, Turkey’s nuclear power adventure is much more about democracy. References Adalıoğlu, Dr. Ulvi (2009): Türkiye'de Nükleer Enerjinin Tarihçesi, http:// www.enerji2023.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id= 230:tuerkye-de-nuekleer-enerjnn-tarhces&catid=6:nuekleer&Itemid=156. Hacettepe University Nuclear Energy Engineering Department: http://www.nuke.hun.edu.tr. Künar, Arif (2002): Don Kişotlar Nükleer Enerjiye Karşı: Anti-nükleer hikayeler, Elektrik Mühendisleri Odası. Ankara. Künar, Arif (2010): Nükleer Yanlışlıktan Vazgeçelim … Enerjive Tabii Kay ­naklar Bakanı Sayın Taner Yıldız'a Açık Mektup. Ankara. May 16, http:// akunar.blogspot.com. Republic of Turkey and Russian Federation (2010):»Agreement Bet­ween the Government of the Republic of Turkey and the Government of the Russian Federation on Cooperation in Relation to the Construction and Operation of a Nuclear Power Plant at the Akkuyu Site in the Repu­blic of Turkey« – signed on May 12. Turkish Atomic Energy Authority(TAEA): http://www.taek.gov.tr. Yarman, Tolga (2006): Nükleer Enerjive Türkiye, Türkiye Enerji Kongresi, 27-30 Kasım, İstanbul. 74