Türkiye Nuclear Energy Corporation (TUNAS – Türkiye Nükleer Enerji Anonim Şirketi) and the US Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) have signed a grant agreement on small modular reactors (SMRs) and fourth-generation. TUNAS is a state-owned subsidiary of Electricity Generation Corporation EÜAŞ (Elektrik Üretim Anonim Şirketi). It was renamed and established under the TÜNAŞ title in December 2022 to serve as the main state entity responsible for developing, building, and operating Türkiye’s future nuclear power plants.
“Our goal is to advance TÜNAŞ’s efforts to create the conditions for deploying SMRs, which can increase energy security for Türkiye while providing opportunities for US companies,” said Thomas R Hardy, USTDA’s Deputy Director. “This framework will incorporate international expertise in this fast-moving field while tailoring it to Türkiye’s specific needs.”
Türkiye’s Energy & Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said in a post on X that the agreement will enable Türkiye to comprehensively assess the technical, economic and regulatory feasibility of next-generation nuclear technologies.
“In line with our goals of Net Zero Emissions by 2053 and full energy independence, we are committed to diversifying our energy mix,” he noted. “In addition to our large-scale nuclear power plants, we will continue with determination to build a robust and modern energy infrastructure by meticulously exploring the alternatives best suited to our country’s needs,” he said.
Under the agreement, TUNAS and USTDA will jointly assess opportunities to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) and five fourth-generation reactor technologies in Türkiye, TRT Haber reported. The study will examine a range of issues, including technical specifications, safety, licensing, costs, supply chains and potential financing models. The work is expected to take at least one year and will cost approximately $2m, with the US covering the expenses.
This technical evaluation provides a major pathway for American nuclear companies to gain early entry into the Turkish energy market. and marks a significant move by Ankara to diversify its nuclear partnerships. Rosatom is currently constructing Türkiye’s first large-scale nuclear power plant at Akkuyu. The plant comprises four VVER-1200 reactors, the first of which is due to begin operation late this year. The project is being constructed according to a build-own-operate model.
The USTDA has not publicly disclosed the names of the nine specific reactor designs or companies being evaluated. The technical feasibility study is deliberately structured as a vendor-neutral assessment to evaluate the general regulatory, economic, and licensing landscape for US advanced nuclear technology before Türkiye commits to any specific commercial models.
However, looking at recent, identical USTDA-funded SMR studies globally (such as the one just signed with Thailand), the US companies that typically make up these technical review pools include: NuScale Power (VOYAGR design), GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (BWRX-300 SMR design), Westinghouse (AP300 SMR and eVinci micro-reactor); Holtec International (SMR-300), X-energy (Xe-100 high-temperature gas cooled reactor), TerraPower (Natrium sodium-cooled fast reactor) and Kairos Power (KP-FHR molten salt reactor).
The results and specific recommendations of which models best suit Türkiye’s infrastructure will be compiled into a series of proprietary technical reports at the conclusion of the year-long study
This agreement functions alongside and reinforces the FIRST (Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology) project, though they are technically managed by two different branches of the US government. FIRST is a US Department of State initiative. Its primary goal is capacity building. It helps partner countries establish the necessary regulatory, legal, and educational frameworks required to safely operate advanced nuclear plants.
USTDA acts as a critical “multi-agency” funding partner under this umbrella. While the State Department focuses on the diplomatic and safety guidelines of FIRST, the USTDA then provides the direct commercial capital and grants needed to transition to projects. FIRST sets up the regulatory rules and trains local personnel while USTDA funds the commercial engineering, site-selection, and techno-economic feasibility studies.
The US uses FIRST to establish partnerships with dozens of developing nations and to counter Russian and Chinese influence in the global civil nuclear market. Since its launch in 2021 FIRST has partnered with more than 50 countries across five continents. These include Eastern Europe & Central Asia (Ukraine, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Bulgaria, and Kazakhstan); Southeast Asia (Philippines and Indonesia); and Africa (Ghana).
Allied nuclear nations such as the UK, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Finland act as contributing partners, pooling their regulatory experts alongside the US to mentor these new nuclear-adopting nation
Because private US companies cannot match state-backed financing, FIRST offers a “soft-power” gateway. By funding early safety frameworks and technical site reviews, the US embeds American safety standards and licensing rules into a country’s legal system before any contracts are signed, with the aim of gaining a competitive edge to US nuclear technologies over Russian designs.
Through special FIRST offshoots like Project Phoenix, the US targets specific infrastructure weaknesses in developing countries such as supporting the conversion of ageing coal-fired power plants into SMR nuclear sites. To completely match the financial packages of its rivals, the State Department uses FIRST to build a bridge to Western lenders. Once a country qualifies through the FIRST programme, agencies such as the US Export-Import Bank and the US International Development Finance Corporation can move to arrange multi-billion-dollar financing packages.
