Construction Completed at First Unit of Türkiye's Akkuyu NPP

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — A complete complex of construction works has been finalized on the first power unit at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant construction site in Türkiye. The announcement was made by Alexey Likhachev, Director General of the Rosatom State Corporation, during a working visit to the facility.

A delegation from Rosatom's management familiarized themselves with the progress of the project and ongoing pre-commissioning activities.

Specialists are currently actively preparing power unit No. 1 for one of the key milestones of commissioning, which is the cold and hot running-in phase of the reactor plant.

During his tour of the facility, Alexey Likhachev inspected the central hall of the reactor building, where results were presented regarding the completed operations for loading dummy fuel assemblies, as well as the installation of the protective tube unit and the upper reactor unit. These procedures represent an important phase in preparing the reactor facility for subsequent testing.

According to the head of Rosatom, cold hydraulic testing of the reactor has already commenced at the power unit. Upon completion of these tests, specialists will proceed to the subsequent stages of launch operations that precede the commissioning of the facility.

"We officially confirm that construction work has been completed. The testing stage has begun, which will allow us to confirm the readiness of equipment and systems for further pre-commissioning operations. We have now entered a decisive period in the implementation of the project," Alexey Likhachev noted.

Particular attention is being paid to the training of operating personnel. The total number of employees for the first power unit stands at around 1,930 people, with over 40 percent of these specialists being citizens of Türkiye. Many of them received specialized education in Russian universities and are currently undergoing practical training at operational nuclear power plants and specialized training centers.

The cold and hot running-in phase is considered one of the most critical stages in preparing a nuclear power plant for its physical launch. During the cold phase, hydraulic tests will be carried out to verify the leak-tightness of the equipment, technological systems will be flushed, and water-chemical regimes will be adjusted. During the hot running-in phase, specialists will test equipment operation under working temperatures and loads, including the main circulation pumps, safety systems, and reactor control mechanisms.

Akkuyu NPP is the first nuclear power plant being built in Türkiye. The project involves the construction of four power units equipped with Russian-designed Generation 3+ VVER reactors, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts. The total installed capacity of the plant upon completion of construction will amount to 4,800 megawatts.

The project is being implemented under the Build-Own-Operate model, which is being applied in the global nuclear energy industry for the first time. Following its commissioning, the NPP will become one of the largest energy infrastructure facilities in Türkiye and will make a significant contribution to providing the country with environmentally friendly and reliable electricity.

The construction of the Akkuyu NPP remains one of the key international projects of the Russian nuclear industry and serves as an example of long-term cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.