Within the scope of the intergovernmental agreement signed between Turkey and Russia on May 12, 2010, the foundation of the first unit of Akkuyu NPP, which is under construction in the Büyükeceli region of the Gülnar district of Mersin, was held at a ceremony attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin via video conference. Discarded on April 3, 2018.
Thus, full-scale construction work on the construction of the first unit officially began.
Works at Akkuyu NPP, which is among the largest investments in Turkey, gained momentum with the start of the construction of the second unit on April 8, 2020.
One of the world’s largest nuclear power plant construction sites
While the first concrete was poured for the third power unit on March 10, 2021, with a ceremony attended by President Erdoğan and Russian President Putin via video conference, the foundation of the fourth and last unit was laid on July 21, 2022. Thus, the most intensive construction phase of the project was started. Akkuyu NPP has also become one of the world’s largest nuclear power plant construction sites.
In the project, where construction and assembly works are carried out in all four units, the works continue unabated throughout the construction site.
In the project, where the countdown for the commissioning of the first unit has started, it is expected that the plant will gain the status of “nuclear facility” with the arrival of fresh nuclear fuel at the facility on April 27, and a critical phase in the project is expected to be completed.
The first unit of the power plant, which will consist of 4 units, each with a 1200 megawatt VVER-1200 type “III+” generation reactor and have a total installed power of 4,800 megawatts, is planned to be commissioned this year, in the 100th anniversary of the Republic.
It also stands out with its contribution to the “2053 net zero emissions” target.
Turkey, progressing step by step towards its 2023 target in its half-century-long adventure of nuclear energy, is expected to become one of the countries producing energy from nuclear energy by transferring the electricity produced from nuclear energy to its network for the first time in its history, with the commissioning of the first unit at Akkuyu NPP.
On the other hand, it is aimed that the other 3 units will be operational by the end of 2026, one year apart.
It is predicted that the power plant, which will produce approximately 35 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually when full capacity is activated, will meet 10 percent of Turkey’s electricity demand alone.
The power plant, which can produce electricity continuously with zero emissions, without emitting harmful greenhouse gases to the environment, also stands out with its contribution to Turkey’s “2053 net zero emissions” target.
The operational life of Akkuyu NPP, which is planned to be 60 years, has the opportunity to be extended for another 20 years.
The employment rate of Akkuyu NPP, whose employment rate varies according to the project stages, is aimed to provide employment to 4 thousand people during the operation period.
