Friedman made statements to AA reporter within the scope of the 11th Nuclear Power Plants Summit-NPPES 2025, organized by the Ankara Chamber of Industry and the Nuclear Industry Association with the support of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and in cooperation with the Ankara Chamber of Industry and the Nuclear Industry Association, with Anadolu Agency as the Global Communication Partner.
Pointing out that the US aims for a long-term partnership with Türkiye, Friedman stated, “As someone who worked as a political advisor in our embassy in Türkiye 10 years ago, I know that this is our long-term goal. Nuclear is part of that, and we hope to expand and improve this partnership by working together on nuclear energy.”
Friedman noted that Türkiye has the potential to become a leader in the field of nuclear energy, given its “clear and decisive” nuclear power target of 20 gigawatts and the interest shown by companies in this field:
"During my visits here, I met with about five major Turkish industrial companies. All of them want to use nuclear energy not only as part of the supply chain but also for their own energy needs. So the companies have a desire in this direction. The other thing is that the roadmap is clear. To this end, we are working with the Turkish government, sharing knowledge and best practices to contribute to the development of regulations that will enable Türkiye to take the lead in this area. So, targets, combined with a clear roadmap, Türkiye can be a leader."
Friedman stated that there is a natural and organic cooperation between the US and Türkiye in the field of small modular reactor technology and added, "Turkish companies provide parts, materials and services to nuclear projects abroad. It is natural for US companies to want to benefit from this expertise. US companies want to establish partnerships because they believe it is in their interests to access the highest quality products and services at the most affordable prices."
Emphasizing that the US and Türkiye have a deep friendship and good partnership, Friedman added: "We want this partnership to develop in the nuclear field as well. We see signs that both sides want to move in this direction."
Commenting on the possibility of a nuclear energy agreement between the two countries in the near future, Friedman added, "I hope there will be an agreement soon. I would like to be part of the team that develops this agreement."
"I know they are exploring opportunities in Türkiye"
Friedman stated that EXIM Bank and the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), two of the US financial institutions, are committed to being a part of the worldwide nuclear movement, and in this context, they have issued letters of intent totaling more than USD 17 billion for nuclear projects in Romania and Poland.
Explaining that these institutions are also interested in Türkiye, Friedman stated, "I know that they are also exploring opportunities in Türkiye. They have programs to support progress, especially in the field of small modular reactors. We are waiting for the projects to come so that we can match them with financing. So they are ready, they are just waiting for good projects to come."
Friedman pointed out that there is a period of transition from ideas to concrete implementation in the nuclear energy sector in the world and said, "The US is increasing its efforts in the field of nuclear energy under President Donald Trump. We aim to increase our nuclear capacity from 100 gigawatts to 400 gigawatts by 2050. This is a very ambitious goal and that is why the US is a leader in this field worldwide."
Stating that they are pleased that the World Bank announced that it will lift its ban on funding nuclear energy projects, Friedman commented, "This is an important step that the US has long wanted. The World Bank's move in this direction is a very strong signal. It is important not only for the financing that the bank can provide, but also for sending a message to the private capital markets that ‘nuclear is a good investment, a safe investment’."
(AA)
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