# Turkey nuclear energy technology development

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/turkey-nuclear-energy-technology-development
> Updated: 2026-09-21T19:38:19.000Z. Sources: 43. Developments: 2.

Turkey has initiated several international collaborations to advance its nuclear energy capabilities, specifically focusing on small modular reactors (SMRs).

In early September, the Turkish Energy, Nuclear and Mineral Research Agency (TENMAK) signed a memorandum of understanding with Denmark-based Copenhagen Atomics. This agreement aims to enhance research and development in innovative nuclear technologies, with a particular emphasis on utilizing Turkey’s thorium reserves to reduce foreign dependency on nuclear fuel.

By late September, Turkey expanded its cooperation to include the United States. The Türkiye Nuclear Energy Company (TÜNAŞ) and the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) launched a technical assessment of nine different US-designed SMR and fourth-generation reactor technologies. This year-long, $2 million study will evaluate the technical, economic, regulatory, and licensing aspects of these designs.

In September 2026, the cooperation between Türkiye and the United States was reaffirmed through a signed agreement to evaluate next-generation nuclear technologies. This initiative, involving TÜNAŞ and the USTDA, aims to support Türkiye’s broader objectives of diversifying its energy mix and achieving net-zero emissions by 2053.

## Claims

- TÜNAŞ and the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) signed an agreement to evaluate SMR and 4th generation reactor designs for Turkey. (corroborated by 17 sources)
- The USTDA will fund a technical study with a budget of approximately $2 million to assess nuclear technologies in Turkey. (corroborated by 17 sources)
- Samsung C&T is providing up to $100 million in combined equity investment and engineering services to Kairos Power. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- The Hermes 2 demonstration reactor is scheduled to begin operating in 2030 with a capacity of up to 50 MW. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Samsung C&T will participate in the design and constructability review of the Hermes demonstration reactor. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Kairos Power is developing fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor technology instead of conventional water cooling. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Kairos Power aims to deploy reactors providing up to 500 MW of electricity by 2035. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Google has a long-term agreement to receive electricity from Kairos Power to support its data centers in Tennessee and Alabama. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-21: Samsung C&T and Türkiye partner in global nuclear energy developments

Samsung C&T is partnering with Kairos Power to develop SMR technology for Google, while Türkiye and the US have signed an agreement to assess next-generation nuclear reactors for use in Türkiye.

35 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/samsung-ct-to-invest-up-to-100m-in-kairos-powers-google-backed-reactor

### 2026-09-07: TENMAK and Copenhagen Atomics sign nuclear technology agreement

TENMAK and Copenhagen Atomics signed an agreement to develop small modular reactor technologies, focusing on utilizing Turkey's thorium reserves to advance nuclear R&D and reduce fuel dependency.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tenmak-and-copenhagen-atomics-sign-nuclear-technology-agreement

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Cite as: Turkey nuclear energy technology development. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/turkey-nuclear-energy-technology-development