Newsletters
Small modular reactors (SMRs) are emerging as a key area of cooperation between Türkiye and the United States in nuclear energy, according to Maria Korsnick, president of the Nuclear Energy Institute.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency in Washington, Korsnick said the U.S. nuclear sector is experiencing an unprecedented revival.
She noted that alongside the country’s 94 operating reactors, some previously shut-down plants are being brought back online, with the Palisades nuclear plant expected to resume operations this year.
Korsnick said new reactors are also under construction and that additional licenses are expected to be approved this year as projects using new technologies advance. She cited initiatives by TerraPower, X-energy and the Tennessee Valley Authority as examples.
She described the current period as a highly active phase for the U.S. commercial nuclear fleet, adding that growth is expected to continue.
Korsnick also pointed to growing interest in nuclear energy from U.S. technology companies such as Meta, Google and Amazon.
She said the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence applications has sharply increased the energy needs of data centers.
She emphasized that nuclear energy offers a reliable and clean power source at a time when demand is rising quickly, noting that while fossil fuels remain in use, companies are pursuing long-term strategies centered on clean and dependable energy.
Addressing cooperation with Türkiye, Korsnick said SMRs stand out as a promising field for joint work.
“SMRs are a great area for partnership,” she said, adding that the U.S. is expected to play an active role globally in nuclear energy. Korsnick said cooperation on SMRs could offer Türkiye an opportunity to become part of the SMR supply chain.
She noted that U.S. plans to build more SMRs could allow Türkiye to develop capacity and participate in supply networks, describing this prospect as a positive development.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors capable of generating up to 300 megawatts of electricity per unit—about one-third the capacity of traditional nuclear power plants.
Türkiye and the United States signed a Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding last September following a meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, aiming to deepen cooperation in the nuclear energy sector.
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
