Concrete work completed for Akkuyu 4's turbine unit

The non-stop concrete pour took more than a day and featured nine concrete pumps. More than 308 tonnes of rebar was installed beforehand. It will take an estimated 60 days before the foundation reaches its design strength.

Inspections from the Turkish Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NDK) will need to sign it off before installation of components of the turbine set can take place.

Sergei Butсkikh, Akkuyu Nuclear CEO, said: "For the project team, this is already the fourth turbine foundation at Akkuyu NPP. The reliability of a turbine set is established as early as the construction of its foundation. The structure must be able to support not only the weight of the turbine and generator, but also the loads generated by their operation. Special spring assemblies reduce the transmission of vibrations to the turbine hall structures. The foundation will ensure the reliable operation of the equipment … in the turbine hall, as at other NPP facilities, the quality requirements for each component are determined with the entire service life of the power units in mind."

Background

Akkuyu, in the southern Mersin province, is Turkey's first nuclear power plant. Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom is building four VVER-1200 reactors, under a so-called BOO (build-own-operate) model. According to the terms of the 2010 Intergovernmental Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey, the aim was for the commissioning of the first power unit of the nuclear power plant to take place within seven years from receipt of all permits for the construction of the unit.

_{(Image: Rosatom)}

The licence for the construction of the first unit was issued in 2018, with construction work beginning that year. Nuclear fuel was delivered to the site in April 2023. The aim has been for unit 1 to begin supplying Turkey's energy system by the end of 2026. First concrete was poured for unit 4 in July 2022.

When the 4,800 MWe plant is completed, it is expected to meet about 10% of Turkey's electricity needs.

Turkey has plans for a second nuclear power plant, at Sinop, and has also been in talks with China about plans for a third plant, in the Thrace region in the country's north-west.

The country is also developing plans for small modular reactors, with the aim of adding 5 GWe of capacity by 2050 - which would mean the equivalent of at least 16 individual SMRs.