Russian state atomic energy corporation Rosatom has announced the start of construction earlier this month on the third unit of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant (NPP) at Akkuyu. A Rosatom statement said that a ceremony to mark the launch of construction of Unit 3 was held at the site of the Akkuyu NPP. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined the ceremony via videoconference, while Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev and Akkuyu Nuclear JSC CEO Anastasia Zoteeva were present at the Akkuyu NPP site.
The statement said that with the start of construction of Unit 3, building and installation works are now being carried out simultaneously at the construction sites of all four Akkuyu NPP power units. “The concreting of the foundation slab of Akkuyu NPP Unit 1 was completed in March 2019. Up to this date, the core catcher, dry protection, the cantilever truss, and support and thrust trusses have been installed in the unit’s reactor building. The work continues on concreting the walls of the internal structures of the containment, construction of structural contour walls and internal walls, pre-assembly and preparation for installation of the third tier of the inner containment shell”, Rosatom said.
“The concreting of the foundation slab of Akkuyu NPP Unit 2 began on April 8, 2020, and was completed in early June 2020. Construction of the circular reactor building walls followed at the unit. Concrete pouring of the annular floor was carried out, the core catcher was installed in the design position, and the first tier of the internal containment shell was erected. Installation of the support truss in the design position is the next milestone planned for this year within the framework of the power unit construction”, it added.
According to Rosatom, the construction license application for the Akkuyu NPP Unit 4 was submitted to the Turkish nuclear regulator NDK on May 12, 2020. Preparations are underway for the construction of a foundation pit for the unit.
Speaking at the event to launch construction of Akkuyu unit 3 earlier this month, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev said that construction work was progressing rapidly. “Just three years after the Akkuyu NPP construction began, we are starting full-scale construction work on the third power unit. The project is proceeding at an unprecedented speed. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Turkish government and local officials for their comprehensive support of the project. The NPP will be one of the cornerstones for the country’s energy security”, he said.
“Construction and commissioning of the plant will provide 10 percent of Turkey’s electricity needs. It is also an important contribution to the preservation of our ecology: nuclear power plants are a source of environmentally friendly and uninterrupted electricity. The project is a driver for the development of industry, economy, employment, and also contributes to the development of many related industries”, said Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez.
Rosatom said that the construction license for unit 3 was issued by the Turkish nuclear regulator on November 13, 2020. “Concrete is being poured onto the reinforced base of the power unit. The foundation is divided into 16 work zones, so-called sections. Concrete will be poured to a height of 2.6 meters; the average volume of each section will be 1,100 cubic meters. The total amount of concrete mixture poured into the foundation slab as part of the concrete pouring works will be 17,000 cubic meters”, the statement said.
“Specialists are present on site to control the concrete pouring process, including experts from the concrete batching plant laboratory, representatives of AKKUYU NUCLEAR JSC, main construction contractor TİTAN 2 IC IÇTAŞ INŞAAT ANONIM ŞİRKETI Joint Venture, as well as employees of the independent construction supervision organization Assystem EOS, a French engineering company”, it added.
