Mersin Halkının Akkuyu Nükleer Santral Projesi ve Sektörel Etkileri Hakkındaki Görüşleri

While creating energy policies, the demands of the people at national and regional scale should be taken into consideration. Because preferred energy sources have not only economic effects but also environmental and social effects. This study is based on the point that the social costs of negative externalities created without social acceptance will affect the people of that region more negatively. The aim of this article is to examine empirically the view of Mersin people towards both nuclear and Akkuyu nuclear power plant. The data in this study consists of the empirical data available for 2016. This study is also the most comprehensive field study on the nuclear perspective in Turkey. Both chi-square and logistic regression analysis were performed among the variables subject to the study. As a result of the field study, approximately 78% of Mersin residents view the nuclear power plant negatively, while approximately 84% think that the Akkuyu Nuclear power plant is not the right decision. According to Mersin residents, the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, which is under construction, thinks that the agriculture sector will affect the agriculture sector negatively and this will be followed by the tourism sector. With this study, it was determined that the opinion of the people of Mersin about this project was unfortunately ignored. However, in developed countries, participation of local people is extremely important in major projects affecting the region. The process regarding the future and social outlook of Mersin Akkuyu nuclear power plant, which is under construction, needs to be reconsidered. The stages of the current project should be subjected to inspection by local government, relevant chambers and NGOs in a transparent manner and the public should be informed accordingly. Otherwise, the potential negative economic and environmental impacts of this project in the region will deepen and increase.