Türkiye Plans Eight New Nuclear Reactors as Canada Deal Signals Shift in Energy Strategy
By Bosphorus News Energy Desk
Eight Reactors, Two Sites
Türkiye is accelerating plans to build eight new nuclear reactors at two sites, Sinop on the Black Sea coast and the Thrace region in the country's northwest, adding to the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant already under construction in Mersin province on the Mediterranean. The eight-reactor target covers four units at each location.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has confirmed that negotiations are active with multiple international partners across the two projects, and that the process has moved from exploratory to concrete.
The Canada Deal
On 4 March in Toronto, Türkiye's state nuclear company TÜNAŞ and Canadian firm AtkinsRéalis signed a memorandum of understanding to assess the potential deployment of CANDU reactor technology in Türkiye. The signing took place on the sidelines of the Canadian Association of Mining Researchers and Developers Congress, attended by Bayraktar and Canadian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson.
The MoU covers technical data exchange, regulatory and licensing assessment, and evaluation of business models including financing, ownership structures, localisation opportunities and workforce development.
CANDU reactors, produced by Candu Energy, a division of AtkinsRéalis, are pressurised heavy water reactors. The name stands for Canada Deuterium Uranium, reflecting the design's two defining features: it uses heavy water as both moderator and coolant, and natural uranium as fuel rather than the enriched uranium required by most other reactor types. This means Türkiye would not need its own uranium enrichment capacity to operate them. There are currently 31 CANDU units in operation worldwide, including in South Korea, Romania, China and Canada. AtkinsRéalis is also developing the 1,000 MW CANDU Monark, a Generation III+ design that completed its conceptual design phase in September 2024.
Bayraktar framed the agreement in explicitly geopolitical terms: "I believe we have entered a new era in Turkey-Canada relations. Geopolitical developments around the world, particularly in North America and elsewhere, mean that we are now in a period where there is a greater need for different partnerships and alliances."
On 17 March, Bayraktar hosted Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in Ankara for further talks covering nuclear energy, oil and gas trade and critical minerals. He stated after the meeting: "We expressed our determination to take concrete steps toward cooperation in the nuclear energy sector as soon as possible."
Four Partners, Open Competition
Beyond Canada, Türkiye is in discussions with South Korea, China and Russia for the Sinop and Thrace projects. For Sinop specifically, Bayraktar said Ankara is awaiting a binding proposal from South Korea's KEPCO before formal negotiations can open. No partner has been finalised for either site. Bayraktar has said the selection process will prioritise competitive financing terms, technology transfer and localisation of nuclear infrastructure.
Akkuyu: 70 Years in the Making
Türkiye's first nuclear power plant at Akkuyu is being built by Russia's Rosatom under a build-own-operate model. Construction of the first of four VVER-1200 reactors reached 99% completion, with first electricity generation from the unit targeted for 2026, marking the realisation of a nuclear energy ambition dating back roughly 70 years. All four units are expected to be fully operational by the end of 2028 and together supply around 10% of Türkiye's electricity.
Small Modular Reactors Also on the Table
Türkiye's nuclear expansion is not limited to large conventional plants. The government has a target of adding 5 GWe of small modular reactor capacity by 2050, which would require at least 16 individual SMR units. Türkiye has also agreed cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency on SMR development. SMRs, factory-built reactors with lower upfront costs and flexible siting, are being considered particularly for industrial zones.
The Canada MoU adds a fifth nuclear partner to Türkiye's programme alongside Russia, South Korea, China and the IAEA framework, reflecting an approach that keeps multiple options open across technology, financing and geography.