WASHINGTON — The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has expressed strong interest in supporting Türkiye’s efforts to develop small modular reactors (SMRs), with Deputy Director Thomas Hardy saying the agency sees significant opportunities for cooperation in the country’s emerging nuclear energy sector.

Speaking at a roundtable hosted by the Washington Foreign Press Center, Hardy said USTDA could play an important role as Türkiye evaluates investments in SMRs, noting that discussions with Turkish officials during his recent visit resulted in a strong consensus on expanding collaboration in nuclear energy.

Hardy indicated that USTDA is preparing new initiatives related to nuclear energy and encouraged stakeholders to watch for upcoming announcements involving both the public and private sectors. He said Turkish authorities have emphasized the importance of nuclear power in meeting the country’s baseload electricity demand, while highlighting USTDA’s long-standing involvement in Türkiye through geothermal energy and digital infrastructure projects.

According to Hardy, the agency’s role is to help countries prepare for future investment decisions by funding early-stage project development, feasibility studies, and technical planning before SMR technology reaches full commercial deployment. He noted that while the U.S. SMR industry is still in its early stages, foundational work is underway to support broader adoption.

Hardy also pointed to Türkiye’s strong industrial base, saying many large private-sector companies could benefit from SMRs not only for electricity generation but also for industrial heat applications. He added that USTDA expects part of its work to involve cooperating with Turkish authorities on the regulatory framework needed to facilitate the deployment of SMRs.

The comments underscore growing U.S. interest in expanding energy cooperation with Türkiye as the country explores next-generation nuclear technologies to diversify its energy mix and strengthen long-term energy security.

Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök