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The first reactor of Türkiye’s Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NGS), located in the southern province of Mersin, is moving toward the operational stage as commissioning work advances ahead of its 2026 target for starting electricity production, according to Akkuyu Nuclear JSC General Manager Sergey Butckikh.
"We are now conducting commissioning work. At this stage, all equipment of the systems undergoes tests, their operations are checked, and they are prepared for safe operation," Butckikh said.
"After commissioning activities in the first power unit, we will move to the start-up stage."
He emphasized that commissioning is not limited to testing how systems function under expected and beyond-design scenarios.
"These are also activities showing how the systems will operate throughout the nuclear plant’s lifetime and how safely the plant will be operated in the future," he told Anadolu Agency (AA).
He added that the completion of this phase would indicate the facility’s full readiness to begin operations.
Butckikh explained that the next phase will involve verifying the operation of certain equipment units and safety systems before moving forward with fuel loading.
"After verifying the operation of certain equipment units and safety systems, we will proceed with loading fresh nuclear fuel, physically starting up the plant, and reaching the minimum controllable power level," he said.
He added that once the reactor reaches nominal power, the turbine will be activated, operating modes will be tested, and the plant will transition into commercial electricity production.
Work on Unit 2 is progressing on schedule. According to Butckikh, welding of the main circulation pipeline will soon begin, which will secure coolant circulation.
He described this as "an important milestone," demonstrating that the second unit has reached a certain level of readiness.
He also noted that preparations are underway to complete the installation and concreting of the inner containment dome. Assembly work in the turbine hall is continuing, with installation of the turbogenerator equipment still in progress.
The general manager also drew attention to the high level of local involvement in the project.
"From the very beginning, the localization process was given great importance. It was expected that the number of Turkish companies involved would be about 400.
In general, about 2,000 companies have participated in the project so far as suppliers and contractors, and the localization rate has been higher than expected," he said.
Butckikh added that cooperation would continue with more Turkish equipment producers in the future.
Once all four 1,200-megawatt reactors are commissioned, Akkuyu will provide 4,800 megawatts of capacity and cover about 10% of Türkiye’s electricity demand.
The plant is designed to operate for 60 years, with the possibility of extending its service life by an additional 20 years.
Beyond Akkuyu, Türkiye plans to build additional large-scale nuclear power plants in Sinop on the Black Sea coast and in the Thrace region of northwestern Türkiye.
Together with Akkuyu, these facilities are part of the government’s strategic objective to reach 20,000 megawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2050.
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