Nuclear Power Plants Summit started in Istanbul

The 11th Nuclear Power Plants Summit – NPPES, organized by the Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO) and the Nuclear Industry Association (NSD) with the support of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, began on July 1, 2025 at the Hilton Bomonti Conference Center. The largest nuclear energy event in Turkey, the Balkans, the Middle East and North Africa, NPPES brought together all stakeholders, from decision-makers to global players in nuclear energy, from domestic suppliers to academics. The role of nuclear energy in shaping the future was discussed throughout the summit, while the sector's latest technologies were exhibited in the exhibition area.

The opening ceremony of NPPES was carried out by the following persons; Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Nuclear Energy and International Projects Director General V. Salih Sarı, Ankara Chamber of Industry Board Chairman Seyit Ardıç, Nuclear Industry Association Chairman Alikaan Çiftçi, Akkuyu Nuclear Inc. Board Chairman & Rosatom Company Rusatom Energy International CEO Anton Dedusenko, Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Rector Hasan Mandal and People's Republic of China State Nuclear Energy Technology Corporation (SNPTC) Vice President Ma Mingjun.

“We expect significant developments in our Sinop project by the end of the year”

Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Nuclear Energy and International Projects Director General V. Salih Sarı said: “As Turkey, we are resolutely implementing a four-legged energy strategy to meet our electricity demand, which increases by approximately 4 percent each year along with our growing economy and increasing population, to reduce our external dependency and to fulfill our environmental commitments. These are; renewable energy investments, increasing energy efficiency, developing our domestic natural gas resources and, of course, the transition to nuclear energy. Our goal is for the four units of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant to gradually start generating electricity by the end of 2028.

Once fully operational, Akkuyu will produce 35 billion kWh of electricity per year, meet 10 percent of our country’s electricity needs, and also ensure that our country is among the top 10 countries that produce the most electricity from nuclear energy. On the other hand, Akkuyu will reduce our carbon emissions by approximately 35 million tons and our natural gas imports by 7 billion cubic meters per year. It will also provide an economic contribution of 50 billion dollars to our country throughout its entire life cycle. This shows how significantly it will contribute to our environmental and economic goals as well as energy supply security. We aim to reach 20 GW of nuclear capacity by 2053. In this direction, we continue our efforts with determination to implement two more large nuclear power plant projects, one in our Sinop province and the other in Thrace. As of now, we have completed the necessary field studies in our Sinop field, received EIA and field approvals from the relevant institutions, and made significant progress in our negotiations with technology-enabled countries and companies. We expect significant developments in our Sinop project by the end of this year.”

We expect to produce the first electricity from our Trakya power plant right after 2035.

Salih Sarı continued his words as follows: “In our Thrace field, we continue our field studies and negotiations with countries that have technology rapidly. As a result of these studies; we expect to produce the first electricity from our Sinop power plant before 2035 and from our Thrace power plant immediately after 2035. If we receive offers with competitive electricity prices and in line with our localization targets, we plan to sign international agreements for these projects by the end of next year. In addition to these, SMRs also have an important place in our energy planning in terms of both electricity and heat production. Our legal and regulatory infrastructure development studies that will encourage the installation and local production of SMR projects with private sector investment are also ongoing. We aim to complete these studies by the end of this year and bring these technologies to our country by 2030.”

“We are planning to bring a new research reactor to our country”

Sarı also added the following: “As Turkey, in the long term; we aim to secure the supply of the necessary fuel for nuclear power plants by evaluating our domestic radioactive raw material resources in the most effective way, to reach a self-sufficient industrial infrastructure in every field of nuclear energy, and at the same time to become a country that exports technology in this field and has a say in the international arena. In line with this goal, first of all; in addition to our two nuclear research and training reactors, one in TENMAK and the other in ITU, we plan to bring a new research reactor with higher power to our country, which will provide our industry with important capabilities in design and testing for nuclear technologies. In addition; in light of the knowledge and experience our domestic industry gained in the Akkuyu project, increasing its participation in our other nuclear power plant projects and reaching a position where it exports nuclear technology is our most important goal. In this direction; in our country; the establishment of nuclear organized industrial zones, the creation of new incentive mechanisms in the fields of design and manufacturing for nuclear power plant projects, the increase of support programs for R&D and P&D projects, and the upcoming efforts to strengthen our country's nuclear testing and certification infrastructure. We plan to take important steps in the process.”

“With NÜKSAK-2, we aim to establish a strong domestic industrial infrastructure based on technology”

Ankara Chamber of Industry Board Chairman Seyit Ardıç: “Following the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, with the projects planned in Sinop and Thrace, our country aims to reach 20 thousand megawatts of nuclear installed power by 2040. This goal includes not only increasing the energy production capacity but also the development of high-tech production, industrial clusters and domestic engineering capabilities. With these strategic investments, Turkey aims to go beyond being a part of the global energy transformation and become a regional technology and supply center. Small Modular Reactors (SMR), in particular, will play a critical role in the energy systems of the future by providing flexibility, security and cost advantages in nuclear energy. With their advantages such as lower initial investment, shorter construction period and grid compatibility, SMR technologies offer an important opportunity in terms of our country’s energy supply security and technology production. It is of great importance to ensure that our domestic industry plays an active role in this area. As Ankara Chamber of Industry, we have started to prepare our industrialists for this field with NÜKSAK, the first nuclear industry cluster established in Türkiye. With NÜKSAK, especially within the scope of the localization of the Akkuyu project, We support our companies to reach international nuclear standards. NÜKSAK, the first phase of which we have completed with the participation of 75 leading industrialists, allows us to gain very important experience in the field of nuclear energy. We are entering a new era with NÜKSAK-2, which we have launched. Our goal now is to bring more domestic companies to this strategic sector and to establish a strong domestic industrial infrastructure based not only on production but also on technology. NPPES is one of the most concrete platforms we have implemented for the integration of our domestic industry into the field of nuclear energy, its more active role in the supply chain and the transfer of technology. We know very well the critical importance of nuclear energy in order to increase the competitiveness of our industry and build a sustainable future, and we will continue to work by further strengthening our cooperation with all stakeholders in the sector.”

“Türkiye will be an exporter of nuclear energy”

Nuclear Industry Association President Alikaan Çiftçi touched on the following: “Türkiye’s nuclear energy journey is no longer just a matter of production; it has also become a multi-layered strategy that shapes international reputation, technology-based development and regional influence. Akkuyu NPP is just the beginning. Now, we have the SMR era, the new horizon of nuclear technology, ahead of us. SMRs, which can operate in hybrid with renewable energy sources, have the potential to offer flexible and scalable solutions from industrial zones to large data centers, from hydrogen production facilities to regions where access to electricity is difficult. This technology will make Türkiye not only an energy producing country, but also an actor that exports nuclear technology and engineering. The Nuclear Power Plants Summit has become a brainstorming and collaboration platform in Türkiye’s nuclear energy journey. In this respect, it sheds light on the future of the sector.”

Çiftçi also shared an important development on behalf of the Nuclear Industry Association: “As the Nuclear Industry Association, we have been included in the list of non-governmental organizations upon the invitation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Directors. With this development, our Association will continue to strengthen its duty of representing Türkiye’s domestic nuclear energy industry on international platforms.”

“As ITU, we are conducting research on Small Modular Reactors”

Hasan Mandal, President of Istanbul Technical University (ITU), drew attention to the following in his speech: “Nuclear energy stands out as the cornerstone of a sustainable and reliable energy policy for regions targeting carbon reduction and industrial durability. The 2030 Industry and Technology Strategy Document published by our Ministry of Industry and Technology includes a visionary goal that foresees the establishment of a “Nuclear Technology Development Park.” This ambitious initiative will be implemented under the academic leadership of Istanbul Technical University. We see this not only as an infrastructure project; not as a foreign-dependent buyer, but as a national commitment that produces and exports knowledge and solutions. As ITU, we are preparing a “National Research Infrastructure” application that will further strengthen the nuclear innovation ecosystem.”

Mandal, who drew attention to the fact that the face of nuclear energy is being redefined with advanced reactor designs such as SMRs and Micro Modular Reactors (MMR), emphasized that academic teams at ITU conduct interdisciplinary research on reactor physics and thermal-hydraulic modeling, advanced nuclear materials and fuel cycles, nuclear safety and cybersecurity, radiation shielding, waste management and licensing framework, data-driven simulations for SMR integration, and hybrid energy systems. Mandal added: “Our goal is not only to develop technology; but also to train nuclear engineers, regulators, and systems thinkers who can work in a rapidly changing global context. At this point, NPPES offers a timely and critical platform for sharing knowledge, identifying collaboration opportunities, and designing a sustainable roadmap.”

We laid the foundation of a century of cooperation

Anton Dedusenko, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Akkuyu Nuclear Inc. & CEO of Rusatom Energy International, a Rosatom Company: “Together with our Turkish partners, we are building a completely new high-tech industry in the country and providing the necessary infrastructure and highly qualified expert staff for this purpose. Thus, Turkey has the basic prerequisites to create a roadmap for the development of its national nuclear sector and to implement new nuclear power plant projects based on field experience and accumulated expertise. It is a fact that each nuclear power plant project lays the foundation for cooperation that will last almost a century. What makes NPPES stand out is that it offers a platform for all stakeholders to share, discuss and plan for the future.”

SNPTC: “We will continue to contribute to Türkiye’s energy transformation”

Stating that they have made significant contributions to the world reaching zero carbon targets, Ma Mingjun, Vice Chairman of the State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation of the People's Republic of China (SNPTC), said: “As the State Power Investment Corporation of China (SPIC), in line with our mission of Creating Green Values, today 72 percent of our total installed capacity of 265 GW is provided by clean energy sources; we are the largest clean energy producer in the world. Member companies of the State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC), a subsidiary of SPIC, have served as EPC contractors for 20 third-generation reactors that are operational and under construction as of May 2025. Nuclear energy is one of the clean energy sources and has a vital role in the global energy basket. Turkey will soon be a country fed by nuclear energy. This is why NPPES is of great importance: It offers all stakeholders in the nuclear industry the opportunity to see, learn and share the best technologies, products and applications. Turkey is a strategic market with a large economy and increasing energy demand. As SPIC, we are also actively playing a role in this important market. The 1,320 MW capacity Hunutlu Thermal Power Plant, which entered commercial operation in 2022, is China’s largest direct investment project in Türkiye. Even after the devastating earthquake in 2023, the plant continued to operate without interruption, supporting the public’s energy needs and aid activities. In March this year, we hosted Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Dr. Zafer Demircan in Beijing. We decided to deepen our cooperation in renewable and nuclear energy projects by holding constructive talks. Together with our Turkish partners, we will continue to contribute to Türkiye’s energy transformation,” he said.

The official international supporters of the 11th Nuclear Power Plants Summit, organized by INPPES Fair Organization, include the Korean Nuclear Association, the China Nuclear Energy Association, the Italian Nuclear Association and the Bulgarian Atomic Forum.