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Tupras, Türkiye's largest oil refiner, has signed a cooperation agreement with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to explore small modular reactor (SMR) technology and its potential use in industrial operations.
The study will assess the technical and economic feasibility of the reactors, as well as their potential contribution to the company's energy transition. The work is expected to take about a year.
The agreement comes as Tupras pursues its goal of becoming a carbon-neutral energy company by 2050. Its broader plans include sustainable refining, sustainable aviation fuels, zero-carbon electricity and next-generation energy technologies.
The study will examine different SMR designs, comparing their technical maturity, licensing status, safety and security approaches, fuel supply requirements and economic performance.
It will also look into how the technology could be used in industrial facilities, alongside environmental considerations such as resource efficiency, waste management and water consumption.
A comprehensive report will be prepared at the end of the assessment. Tupras plans to use the findings to evaluate potential next steps and industrial applications for SMR technology.
Small modular reactors have lower generating capacities than conventional nuclear power plants and are designed to be manufactured in modules. In addition to generating electricity, they can provide process heat for industrial operations and support low-carbon hydrogen production.
Nuclear power produces no direct carbon emissions during operation and is considered a low-carbon energy source. SMR projects are at various stages of development, licensing and commercialization around the world.
Türkiye's small modular reactor ambitions form part of a broader plan to reach 20,000 megawatts of total nuclear capacity by 2050, supporting its goal of net-zero emissions by 2053.
The government aims to combine conventional nuclear power plants with 5,000 megawatts of SMR capacity.
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