Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday that engineering company AtkinsRéalis now has a stronger chance of securing nuclear power business in Turkey, a day after the two countries agreed to expand energy cooperation, The Canadian Press reported.
Speaking in İstanbul, where he was meeting with Turkish business leaders, Carney said the company’s proposal to supply Canadian-designed CANDU reactors for Turkey’s planned nuclear plants now had “good chances” of succeeding.
He said prospects had improved substantially over the past year, pointing to the technology and potential partnerships with Turkish construction companies as strengths of the Canadian offer, according to the news agency.
The comments followed Carney’s talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on Thursday, when the NATO allies launched a strategic partnership covering trade, energy, defense and closer diplomatic ties.
In their joint statement the leaders pledged to expand cooperation in civilian nuclear energy, liquefied natural gas and renewable energy. They also agreed to encourage investment and dialogue between nuclear sector representatives. The statement did not announce a contract to build a nuclear plant.
AtkinsRéalis has already begun technical discussions with Turkey. The company announced in March that its subsidiary, Candu Energy, had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Türkiye Nuclear Energy Company (TÜNAŞ) to assess the possible deployment of its reactor technology.
That agreement covers the suitability of CANDU reactors for sites identified by TÜNAŞ, regulatory and licensing requirements and possible financing and ownership arrangements. It also provides for examining opportunities for Turkish suppliers and workforce development.
Turkey is seeking partners for additional nuclear power plants while Russia’s Rosatom builds its first station at Akkuyu on the Mediterranean coast.
Carney’s visit comes as Canada looks to diversify its trade relationships amid a dispute with the United States. For Ankara closer ties offer opportunities to attract investment and expand cooperation in energy and defense.
The Canadian prime minister’s office described the trip as the first dedicated bilateral visit to Turkey by a Canadian leader. Along with the energy discussions, the two governments are pursuing a free-trade agreement and broader commercial cooperation.
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