ISTANBUL — Türkiye has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Danish company Copenhagen Atomics to explore the use of thorium, one of the raw materials for nuclear energy, in next-generation nuclear technologies.

The agreement was signed by the Turkish Energy, Nuclear and Mining Research Agency (TENMAK), an affiliated institution of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, under the auspices of Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.

Thorium compounds to be produced domestically

Under the agreement, the two sides will work on technologies that enable the use of thorium in next-generation nuclear systems. One of the key objectives is to develop the capability to produce thorium compounds domestically.

The cooperation will also bring Turkish industrial and technology stakeholders, as well as researchers, into efforts to utilize Türkiye’s thorium resources in high-value-added nuclear technologies.

A major focus will be research and development projects aimed at producing thorium in Türkiye in a form suitable for use in molten salt reactors, a next-generation nuclear reactor technology.

Türkiye also aims to produce thorium compounds that meet nuclear fuel standards using domestic capabilities and eventually become an internationally competitive supplier in this field.

Copenhagen Atomics focuses on molten salt reactors

Denmark-based Copenhagen Atomics conducts R&D on molten salt reactors, one of the fourth-generation reactor concepts that could enable thorium to be used in the nuclear fuel cycle.

The company is developing a modular molten salt reactor concept called “Onion Core.” Under its cooperation with TENMAK, Copenhagen Atomics will assess the technology in terms of Türkiye’s research infrastructure, human resources and industrial capabilities.

Bayraktar: Many countries are developing the technology

Speaking after the signing ceremony, Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said that, alongside large-scale reactors, small modular reactors (SMRs) have been developing rapidly and are increasingly regarded as part of a new era in nuclear energy.

Bayraktar noted that many countries around the world are working to develop these technologies and said Türkiye is also pursuing several projects in parallel.

“Türkiye is also carrying out significant activities in this field, with many projects progressing simultaneously,” Bayraktar said, adding that investors in Türkiye are working with public institutions on these projects.

He also pointed to incentives introduced by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, saying they had generated significant interest in the sector. Türkiye is seeking to determine how different nuclear technologies can be brought into the country and developed further, he said.

Thorium seen as a strategic advantage

Bayraktar emphasized that the agreement with Copenhagen Atomics has a distinctive feature because thorium fuel plays a prominent role in the Danish company’s small modular reactor technology.

“Thorium is particularly important because it is found abundantly in our country and could allow us to avoid dependence on foreign sources for fuel,” Bayraktar said.

He expressed hope that the cooperation would produce concrete results and that the work could eventually lead to a commercially viable product.

The minister added that the use of an alternative fuel, particularly thorium, makes the partnership significant and that the work will be carried out jointly by Copenhagen Atomics, TENMAK and other relevant Turkish institutions.

Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök