The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has signed an agreement with Turkish oil refiner Tüpraş to fund a study into the potential use of small modular reactors (SMRs) to supply electricity, heat and steam for refinery operations.
According to the USTDA, the proposed study will evaluate several US reactor technologies, including their technical and economic feasibility, environmental performance, regulatory requirements and potential industrial applications.
The agreement is also expected to develop a roadmap to support Tüpraş in deciding whether to proceed with SMR deployment.
USTDA deputy director Thomas Hardy said the agreement is expected to support Turkey’s efforts to reduce dependence on imported energy while creating opportunities for US nuclear technology suppliers. The agency said it will publish a request for proposals.
The agreement follows a separate agreement signed by the USTDA and Turkey’s state-owned nuclear development company Turkey Nuclear Energy Agency (TÜNAŞ) in September 2026. That agreement would also cover a review of how leading US reactor designs could meet the country’s power needs.
Turkey has made nuclear energy a key component of its future energy mix, with an objective of deploying 20,000 MW of nuclear capacity by 2050, with at least 5,000 MW coming from SMRs.
The country is building its first nuclear power station, the four-unit Akkuyu, using Russian VVER pressurised water reactor technology supplied by Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom. However, it is exploring the deployment of other nuclear technologies including SMRs as it seeks to diversify suppliers for its nuclear industry.
The USTDA is an independent federal agency that links US businesses to export opportunities in emerging economies by funding critical infrastructure development.
The USTDA has previously funded nuclear development studies in Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, the Philippines and Thailand, while Slovakia has received separate US government support for SMR feasibility work under the federal Project Phoenix initiative to fund feasibility studies and technical assistance for converting coal-fired power plants into clean SMR nuclear facilities.
