Türkiye continues negotiations with multiple countries on new nuclear power plants

Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar stated that Türkiye's negotiations on new nuclear power plants have not yet been completed, and the country remains in contact with Russia, China, Canada, South Korea, and others, with no agreements signed for the relevant projects.

Bayraktar said Russia is interested in participating in the Sinop and Thrace nuclear power plant projects and hopes to leverage the experience and human resources accumulated in the Akkuyu nuclear power plant project. In addition to Russia, Türkiye is also in negotiations with Canada, China, and South Korea on other nuclear power projects. He stated that beyond the Akkuyu plant, Türkiye plans to build eight more reactors.

He added that Türkiye has not yet signed any agreements for new nuclear power plants, and the government hopes to make a decision in the coming months and complete the legal procedures required for signing agreements. Regarding the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, Bayraktar stated that once completed, the plant will have the capacity to meet Istanbul's electricity demand.

Bayraktar also stated that Türkiye "missed the first phase of nuclear energy development" but hopes to catch up in the new round of nuclear technology advancement. Türkiye is conducting research and development in the field of small modular reactors, with the goal of achieving the capability to domestically produce small modular nuclear power plants by the 2030s and becoming an exporter of related technologies.