AtkinsRealis, a Canadian company, believes that Turkey's early assessment of its nuclear capabilities will be complete after the summer

AtkinsRealis, Canada's nuclear company, believes that Turkey will?complete an early review?of its CANDU-based reactors after an information exchange this summer. This could?lead?to?concrete discussions?for a bid for a nuclear power plant, according to a senior official. Turkey's first plant will be built by Rosatom, while Ankara is in talks with KEPCO of South Korea and SPIC of China for the next two. AtkinsRealis has been the latest to open negotiations and compete for the position. In March, the company signed a'memorandum-of-understanding' with the state plant operator TUNAS to assess the suitability of the reactor technology for Turkey. Two high-profile ministers visited the CANDU and Cernavoda nuclear plants in Canada and Romania respectively last month.

We are working to provide all the information TUNAS requires for its report in this summer. Gary Rose, Executive vice president of 'AtkinsRealis', said: "We have five?teams that are working to provide TUNAS with a large amount of information so they can make a?"recommendation" to decision makers. In an interview conducted on the sidelines a nuclear industry meeting in Istanbul, Gary Rose, Executive Vice President of?AtkinsRealis told?

This year, the?first unit?of Turkey's $20 Billion 4.8 GW nuclear plant will be online. This still leaves a 2.4 GW gap in Turkey's interim 2035 nuclear energy goals. Ankara must move quickly to find partners for the second reactor. Can Sezer, Daren Butler (Reporting)

(source: Reuters)