Main circulation pumps installed in Akkuyu's second unit

Tuesday, 22 April 2025

The four main circulation pump units are used to ensure circulation of coolant in the primary circuit of the reactor core, with a pressure of about 160 times atmospheric pressure and with temperatures of about 300 degrees Celsius. The lifting was done by crane via the open top of the cylindrical reactor containment building (see picture above).

Sergey Butskikh, Director General of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC, said: "Having installed the main circulation pumps, we have completed the assembly of the main equipment of the reactor unit of the second power unit. The reactor vessel, steam generators, and safety system hydraulic tanks are already in place, and we will soon begin welding the main circulation pipeline to connect all these components."

The Akkuyu plant, in the southern Mersin province, is Turkey's first nuclear power plant. Rosatom is building four VVER-1200 reactors under a so-called BOO (build-own-operate) model. Construction of the first unit began in 2018 and all four are concurrently under construction.

_{(Image: Rosatom)}

The 4800 MWe plant is expected to meet about 10% of Turkey's electricity needs, with the aim that all four units will be operational by the end of 2028.