Türkiye has taken a significant step towards advancing its nuclear capabilities by signing a memorandum of understanding with Copenhagen Atomics, a Danish company specializing in nuclear technology. This agreement will focus on harnessing Türkiye’s thorium resources to develop cutting-edge nuclear technologies. The collaboration, undertaken by the Türkiye Energy, Nuclear and Mineral Research Agency (TENMAK), aims to produce thorium compounds domestically, which are essential for advanced nuclear reactors.
A key component of this partnership is the research and development of nuclear-grade thorium compounds within Türkiye, specifically for use in molten salt reactors. The project will also involve Turkish technology companies, industrial entities, and researchers, fostering the development of high-value nuclear technologies within the country. Copenhagen Atomics will leverage its modular “Onion Core” concept, a fourth-generation molten salt reactor technology, to assess and integrate this technology with Türkiye’s existing research infrastructure, workforce, and industrial capabilities.
Thorium has emerged as a promising avenue for Türkiye to reduce its reliance on imported nuclear fuel. As part of its broader energy strategy, Türkiye is expanding its nuclear power capacity alongside renewable energy sources. The country has ambitious plans to establish 15 gigawatts of conventional nuclear capacity and an additional 5 gigawatts from small modular reactors by the year 2050. Akkuyu, Türkiye’s first nuclear power plant, will play a crucial role in this expansion, housing four reactors with a total capacity of 4,800 megawatts.
Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar emphasized the significance of the collaboration, noting that Copenhagen Atomics’ technology has the potential to utilize thorium, an element that is relatively abundant in Türkiye. He expressed optimism that this partnership could eventually lead to the development of commercially viable nuclear technology, marking an important milestone in Türkiye’s energy ambitions.