Turkey's energy minister has criticised the United States not joining in the $22 billion tender to build the country's second nuclear power plant, local media reported on Saturday.

"If we are not building the nuclear power plant with America, which strategic project will we handle with them?" Energy Minister Taner Yildiz was quoted as telling the daily Hurriyet newspaper.

The minister said Washington's non-participation in the project was not compatible with the so-called "model partnership" between the two NATO allies.

"It's our right as a model partner to expect" Americans to submit a bid for the tender, he added.

Turkey is close to making a decision in the major tender to build the country's second nuclear power plant in Sinop on the Black Sea and on Thursday Yildiz said Ankara was still negotiating with Chinese and Japanese companies.

Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in cooperation with France's Areva were expected to win the tender, Japan's Nikkei business daily had reported. But the Turkish minister said it was too early to name a winner.