South Korea fights for contracts to build Turkey, Jordan plants

South Korea is bidding for a contract to build four nuclear power plants for Turkey that is estimated to be worth $20 billion and the bids are expected to be negotiated throughout the first half of 2010.

After winning a contract to build four nuclear power plants for the United Arab Emirates that will cost $40 billion, South Korea is looking again to capture an expensive contract. A South Korean official announced that they are trying to bid for a contract to build four nuclear power plants for Turkey, which will be an estimated $20.4 billion, according to AFP. For over the last year, Seoul has been in contact with the Turkish government about the contract. The negotiations will begin in January and continue until approximately June. The power plants are expected to be constructed along the Black Sea coast. An unnamed high ranking Foreign Ministry official said, reports Press TV, “The government plans to push for the deal with Turkey in the first half of next year.” While a spokesperson for state-run Korea Electric Power Corp said, “Nothing has been decided, but we plan to bid for a nuclear power plant project in Turkey.” According to Xinhua, South Korea is looking to strike a similar deal with Jordan for a project that is worth about $173 million to build a five-megawatt research reactor by 2014.