TerraPower has held informal discussions with Turkey and other countries about small reactors

TerraPower, the Bill Gates backed company that is looking to build small modules reactors for nuclear power, has held informal discussions with several countries in Europe including Turkey. A company spokesperson confirmed this on Thursday.

In an earlier report, it was reported that Turkey has been drafting a new law to encourage the construction of SMRs as a complement to plans to build nuclear power plants.

TerraPower's spokesperson responded to a question by saying that they had "had informal conversations" with many European countries including some Turkish stakeholders, but were not currently engaged in formal discussions with any customers in Turkey.

The supporters of SMR hope to build smaller nuclear plants within factories instead of on the site of power stations, which they claim will be cheaper. TerraPower had to postpone the opening of its first Natrium nuclear plant in Wyoming for about two years, to 2030.

The reason for the delay is that HALEU (high-assay, low enriched Uranium) can only be produced in Russia in large quantities. TerraPower and ASP Isotopes are in discussions about a HALEU plant.

TerraPower's spokesperson stated that the growing demand for energy in Europe, and the Russian invasion in Ukraine have increased interest in clean, solid power technologies such as Natrium.

The Turkish government plans to build three nuclear power stations: one four-reactor plant in Akkuyu, in the Mediterranean region. This is being built by the Russian conglomerate Rosatom. A second will be in Sinop, a province on the Black Sea. And a third in Thrace in the northwestern region.

Turkey is looking to diversify the mix of electricity produced by adding SMRs in addition to conventional nuclear plants. Turkey's nuclear energy law doesn't mention SMRs directly, so new legislation will be needed. (Reporting and editing by Timothy Gardner)

(source: Reuters)