Türkiye eyes new law to boost small modular reactor construction | News.az

Türkiye is reportedly drafting a new law to facilitate the construction of small modular reactors (SMRs) as part of its strategy to diversify energy sources and complement future nuclear power plants.

Türkiye has been looking to embrace nuclear power as part of its renewable energy push, seeking to integrate cleaner resources into its energy mix, News.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

It plans to build at least three nuclear power plants for 15,000 megawatts (MW) of nuclear generation capacity.

A four-reactor plant, Akkuyu, is under construction in the Mediterranean region and is being built by Russian conglomerate Rosatom. It plans a second one in the Black Sea province of Sinop and a third in the northwest region of Thrace.

Reports have earlier suggested talks with China, Russia and South Korea for the construction of the second and the third plant.

Türkiye aims to complement conventional nuclear plants with up to 5,000 MW of SMRs to diversify its electricity production mix.

The $20 billion (TL 684.50 billion), 4,800 MW Akkuyu plant will bring Türkiye into the small club of nations with civil nuclear energy. It is ultimately expected to produce around 10% of local electricity production.

The plant’s opening has been delayed after Germany’s Siemens Energy withheld key parts, prompting Rosatom to buy them in China, officials have said.

The decision is said to stem from Western sanctions over Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Türkiye had initially planned to start up the first reactor in 2023, but delays have pushed that to next year, with the remaining reactors to come online by the end of 2028.

News.Az