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ThorAtom, Türkiye's sole private company developing fourth-generation nuclear reactors, has joined forces with French sustainable nuclear energy firm NAAREA to push forward molten salt reactor technology through a strategic partnership agreement.
The collaboration between ThorAtom and NAAREA was sealed during the 11th Nuclear Power Plants Summit (NPPES) on Tuesday, which took place with backing from Türkiye's Energy and Natural Resources Ministry.
The signing ceremony brought together Tarik Ogut, chairman of the board of directors of FIGES Group, which ThorAtom operates under, alongside Jean-Luc Alexandre, CEO of NAAREA.
This partnership marks a significant step forward in making clean, reliable, and scalable next-generation nuclear energy solutions more widely available.
The partnership between ThorAtom and NAAREA sets out to produce molten salt reactors on a small modular reactor (SMR) scale, primarily targeting Türkiye and the broader Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region.
These advanced reactors will be designed to provide cost-effective and uninterrupted energy across multiple applications, including electricity generation, thermal energy production, and hydrogen manufacturing.
Small modular reactors represent a newer approach to nuclear technology, offering enhanced safety features and greater flexibility compared to traditional large-scale nuclear plants. The molten salt reactor design uses liquid fuel instead of solid fuel rods, which allows for more efficient heat transfer and improved safety characteristics.
Speaking at the event, Ogut highlighted that molten salt reactors and fuel technology stand out as priority areas for ThorAtom's operations.
He pointed out that the company plans to carry out work focused on molten salt reactor production in Türkiye and throughout the EMEA region in the coming years.
"This partnership marks the beginning of this endeavor," Ogut stated, emphasizing the foundational nature of the collaboration for future developments in the field.
Alexandre expressed significant pride and honor in signing the partnership agreement, noting that NAAREA possesses a strong determination to break into global markets.
The French executive emphasized that his company has identified the right momentum and suitable partners in Türkiye for advancing its technological goals.
"We want to develop molten salt reactors faster than ever before and work on the fuel cycle, which serves as the key to this technology," Alexandre explained.
"If we want to rid the world of carbon emissions, I believe we have the right partnership and the right people to make this happen, particularly in our region and surrounding areas."
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