Start-up and commissioning works, another key stage has begun at Unit 1 of Akkuyu NPP under construction in Türkiye.
Director General of Rosatom State Corporation Alexey Likhachev examined the work progress during his working visit to the NPP construction site. A delegation of Rosatom executives examined the construction site, inspected the facilities of the nuclear and turbine island of Unit 1, as well as the onshore hydraulic engineering structures of the Akkuyu NPP. Following the site tour Alexey Likhachev held a working meeting with Akkuyu Nuclear JSC CEO Anastasia Zoteeva and other project managers to discuss key aspects of the project in detail.
Rosatom Director General commented on the progress of work at Akkuyu NPP Unit 1. “On the ‘nuclear island’ work is going according to plan. This year we will thoroughly check all systems including the primary circuit, conduct hydraulic tests, and load fuel simulators directly into the reactor. We are doing everything to ensure that next year the first unit of Akkuyu NPP becomes part of the energy system of the Republic of Türkiye. All our efforts and the work of Turkish companies are aimed at this. There are many of them here, and they show great professionalism as well as mobilization,” said Alexey Likhachev.
Akkuyu NPP specialists have successfully implemented hydraulic tests of the spent fuel pool and installation of a reloading machine, which will participate in loading and unloading fuel from the reactor. The assembly of electric motors of the reactor coolant pump set is in full swing. An important operation will take place in the near future to tighten the steel ropes of the containment prestressing system. The system will significantly increase the strength and reliability of the reactor building. The auxiliary infrastructure is being commissioned in parallel with the works on the main construction sites of Power Units at the Akkuyu NPP construction site, and common-station buildings are being built. The fresh fuel storage facility and the first stage of the training center are operating normally, where 4 shifts of NPP operators have already been trained. The operational workshops of the future nuclear power plant are gradually being completed. The construction of chemical water treatment facilities, steam supply systems, and thermal communications is being completed. Equipment is being installed at the pumping station of Power Unit No. 1, and the main lifting machinery has been put into operation.
Reference
Akkuyu NPP is the first nuclear power plant being built in the Republic of Türkiye. The Akkuyu NPP project consists of four power units with Russian-designed VVER generation III+ reactors. The capacity of each power unit is 1200 MW. The construction of the Akkuyu NPP is the first project in the global nuclear industry implemented according to the Build-Own-Operate model.
Russia continues a productive dialog with its foreign colleagues, developing cooperation with countries from all over the world and actively forming a multi-polar system of international relations. The implementation of major foreign energy projects also continues. Rosatom and its entities are actively involved in this activity.
