The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources said Türkiye Nuclear Energy Company (TÜNAŞ) and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will carry out a joint study on next-generation nuclear technologies.
The agreement was signed in New York, where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was attending the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Four U.S. companies' designs for nine reactors to be examined
The project will assess small modular reactor (SMR) designs from four U.S. companies, along with five different fourth-generation reactor designs developed by U.S. companies.
In addition to the reactors' technical and economic feasibility for Türkiye, regulatory and licensing requirements will also be examined comprehensively.
The study will examine design features, costs, licensing procedures, supply chains, sources of financing and financing models. It will also analyze site selection, emergency planning, design safety, authorization and the legal framework.
Technical reports will be prepared at the end of the study. USTDA will cover the cost of the technical study, which has a budget of approximately $2 million and is planned to last at least one year.
Bayraktar: We will comprehensively assess next-generation nuclear technologies
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the agreement would enable Türkiye to assess its options regarding next-generation nuclear technologies.
Bayraktar said Türkiye was continuing to diversify its energy resources in line with its 2053 Net Zero Emissions and full energy independence goals, adding that work would also be carried out on alternative technologies suited to the country's needs alongside large-scale nuclear power plants.
As part of nuclear energy cooperation between Türkiye and the United States, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation last year.
