Türkiye has officially started formal negotiations to build its second nuclear power plant in Sinop, with a decision on the partner expected by the end of the year.
This move is driven by a critical need for energy security. For years, Türkiye has been vulnerable to volatile prices of imported energy, especially natural gas. Building a large-scale nuclear plant provides a stable, domestic source of baseload power—the constant electricity supply needed to power the country 24/7. Ankara has an ambitious goal of reaching 20 GW of nuclear capacity by 2050, and with its first plant at Akkuyu set to start generating power in 2026, the urgency to lock in the next project is high.
So, why not just partner with Russia again? The Akkuyu plant is being built under a "Build-Own-Operate" model, giving Russia's Rosatom significant control. To avoid over-reliance on a single partner and hedge against geopolitical risks like sanctions, Türkiye is intentionally diversifying. By actively negotiating with a Korea-U.S. bloc, Canada, and China, Ankara increases its bargaining power on everything from financing terms to local manufacturing involvement.
A major boost for the Korean bid came in January 2025. A long-standing intellectual property dispute between Korea's KEPCO/KHNP and the U.S. firm Westinghouse was finally settled. This was a critical roadblock, as Korean APR-1400 reactors contain U.S.-origin technology. With the settlement, a joint Korea-U.S. bid is now legally and logistically straightforward, facilitated by an existing nuclear cooperation law between the U.S. and Türkiye known as a Section 123 Agreement.
The path to today's announcement was paved by several key events. First, the Westinghouse IP settlement in early 2025 removed the legal barrier, making a Korean bid viable. Second, Türkiye’s official agreements, like the MOU with KEPCO in late 2025 and with Canada in early 2026, created a formal competitive environment. Third, steady progress at the Russian-built Akkuyu plant created a strategic imperative for Türkiye to choose a different partner for Sinop to ensure a balanced and secure energy future.
In essence, the Sinop project is a massive, multi-billion dollar opportunity. A Korean-led consortium is now a very strong contender, thanks to its proven track record with the UAE's Barakah plant, a newly cleared legal pathway, and Türkiye's strategic goal of diversifying its energy partners.
- Glossary
- Baseload power: The minimum level of electricity demand required over a period of 24 hours. It is provided by power plants that run continuously.
- Section 123 Agreement: A formal agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation required by the U.S. Atomic Energy Act for the export of nuclear materials, equipment, or components.