Turkish defence company Baykar, best known for the production of drones, is preparing to step into the nuclear energy sector with the development of a small modular reactor (SMR), according to energy and natural resources minister Alparslan Bayraktar.

Baykar is reported to be working on a 40-MW SMR unit, which would have the capacity to power more than 100,000 households on its own, Bayraktar told local media.

The move comes as Ankara prepares a comprehensive legislative package to regulate the nuclear energy industry. Turkey aims to reach 7.2 GW of nuclear capacity by 2035 and 20 GW by 2050.