Deputy Construction Director of Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) said Thursday that the construction work on the first unit of the NPP, which is under construction in the Gülnar district of Türkiye’s southern Mersin, has been completed.
“With the installation of the technological equipment in the turbine and pump buildings completed by the end of this year, we will move on to the stage of starting up and commissioning the first unit,” Dmitry Romanets said.
Türkiye gained the status of a country boasting nuclear energy, as its first plant, the Akkuyu NPP, received the initial batch of nuclear fuel with a ceremony held in April this year.
According to the intergovernmental agreement between Türkiye and Russia, Romanets said that after obtaining the construction license for the first power unit, the unit must begin electricity production seven years later.
Romanets indicated they are working to shorten construction and installation times, noting that this year marks “a significant step” in commissioning the first power unit.
“This year, nuclear fuel was transported to the site for the first time. Following this, Türkiye became a nuclear facility-owning country and a new point on the nuclear countries map,” he underscored.
“The delivery of fuel is the first important stage in commissioning a nuclear power unit. According to the intergovernmental agreement, the start date of the first power unit’s production was set as 2025, but as the project team, we are making every effort to bring this date forward,” Romantes said.
Romanets highlighted that work on the second and third power units is ongoing simultaneously, with plans to commission the other units one year apart.
The foundation of the plant's first reactor was laid in April 2018, while the construction of the second, third and fourth units started in June 2020, March 2021 and June 2022, respectively.
The three remaining units are due to start operation by the end of 2026, at a rate of one per year, to ultimately have a total installed capacity of 4,800 megawatts (MW).
The deputy construction director of the site additionally pointed out that a new sector emerged during the construction of Akkuyu NPP, indicating that Turkish manufacturers can produce materials required for nuclear power plants not only for domestic supply but also for export abroad.
