THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Turkey's first nuke plant to be commissioned later this year — Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev says the project is "a key task" facing Russia’s state atomic energy corporation

Türkiye's Akkuyu nuclear plant to receive fourth reactor as 2026 ... Areactor pressure vessel for the fourth unit of Türkiye's first nuclear power plant (NPP) departed Russia this week, marking another milestone for the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant project targeting first electricity production in 2026. The shipment ceremony took place during the World Nuclear Week international forum in Moscow, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Russia's nuclear industry. The 320-ton reactor vessel, measuring approximately 13 meters in length and 4.5 meters in diameter, is expected to arrive at the Akkuyu site in about three weeks. Rosatom Director General Aleksey Likhachev highlighted the significance of the shipment, noting that Akkuyu represents one of the world's largest nuclear construction sites with four units being built simultaneously. "The reactor pressure vessel is the heart of a nuclear power unit," Likhachev said. "The reactor vessel being sent for the fourth unit in Türkiye is the 250th reactor vessel produced in our country, while also being the 80th reactor vessel produced for our international projects," he noted. Turkish Deputy Energy Minister Zafer Demircan confirmed the…

Akkuyu NPP's Unit 1 launch set for fall 2026: Rosatom CEO Nuclear fuel loading into the reactor of Unit 1 at theAkkuyuNuclear Power Plant, along with its subsequentlaunch, is scheduled for this fall, Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev told Sputnik. Rosatom plans to begin the “hot test” in July — the main stage of commissioning work before the startup of Akkuyu’s unit 1, Likhachev noted. If these tests successfully confirm the reliability of the reactor’s equipment and systems under design operating conditions, “we will begin loading fuel and ‘lifting up’ the unit in the fall,” he added. Rosatom is building Türkiye’s first nuclear power plant in the southern province of Mersin under a 2010 intergovernmental agreement between Türkiye and Russia. The facility will consist of four units, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts, bringing total installed capacity to 4,800 megawatts. When completed, the Akkuyu will meet approximately ten percent of Türkiye’s electricity consumption on its own. Meanwhile, the inner containment dome has been placed in its design position at Akkuyu NPP Unit 2, Akkuyu Nuclear JSC said in a statement on June 29. This operation marked one of the key events in…

Final assembly under way for Akkuyu 4's reactor vessel Final assembly under way for Akkuyu 4’s reactor vessel Friday, 22 August 2025 Fabrication of the control assembly for the reactor vessel has begun for the fourth unit at the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey. Rosatom said it will be the 250th nuclear reactor manufactured in Russia. (Image: Rosatom) Maxim Zhidkov, the head of the Atommash plant, said engineers will "ensure that every component and element of the reactor is precisely positioned to a thousandth of a millimetre. This work verifies the reactor's operational readiness for at least six decades. It also streamlines installation at the NPP site. A successful test build stands as a testament to the excellence of Russian design and production standards". The Atommash plant is also currently working on the reactor vessel for the second unit at the El Dabaa nuclear power plant in Egypt as well as 17 steam generators for nuclear power plants in Russia, Turkey, Egypt and India. Igor Kotov, head of Rosatom's Mechanical Engineering division, said: "Our products have powered hundreds of nuclear plants in Russia and around the globe, bringing warmth and illumination to millio…

Launch of Akkuyu NPP's Unit 1 in Turkey Scheduled for Fall 2026 ... M OSCOW, June 29 (HS/RIA Novosti) - Nuclear fuel loading into the reactor of Unit 1 of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant (NPP) in Turkey and its launch are scheduled for this fall, Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev told RIA Novosti. Advertisement Rosatom plans to begin the hot test, the main stage of commissioning work before Unit 1's startup, in July, Likhachev noted. According to the Russian state corporation's top manager, if these tests successfully confirm the reliability of the reactor system's equipment and systems in the design operating modes, we will begin loading fuel and 'lifting up' the unit in the fall. One of the milestones in the 2026 launch program for the Unit 1 will be timed to coincide with Republic Day on October 29, Likhachev told RIA Novosti. Another interesting date - in early November, on the sidelines of the COP [Conference of the Parties] climate conference in Istanbul, we plan to hold a large 'nuclear day' and give technical tours of the plant to a number of guests, he added. Turkey's first NPP, Akkuyu, is currently being built with Russian participation. It consists of four power units with ad…

Dummy fuel successfully loaded in Akkuyu 1 - World Nuclear News Dummy fuel successfully loaded in Akkuyu 1 Tuesday, 9 June 2026 The loading of 163 dummy nuclear fuel assemblies in Turkey's Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant’s first unit is a key part of the commissioning process. (Image: Akkuyu Nuclear JSC) The dummy fuel is designed to be an exact replica of nuclear fuel in design, weight and dimensions, and its loading is key to checking systems for loading the real fuel as well as confirming readiness for the next stage of commissioning operations. The dummy fuel does not contain any nuclear materials and its loading precedes the cold and hot running tests of reactor plant equipment during the commissioning process for new units, before the reactor starts up. (Image: Akkuyu Nuclear) (Image: Akkuyu Nuclear) The loading of the fuel dummies was carried out under the supervision of Turkey's Nuclear Regulatory Authority. Sergei Butckikh, CEO of Akkuyu Nuclear, said: "The completion of loading of dummy fuel assemblies at Akkuyu NPP Unit 1 is a full rehearsal for loading nuclear fuel. Using the dummies, we work out procedures for handling nuclear fuel in conditions as close to operational as …

Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 Nears Commissioning, Unit 3 Marks ... Updated on May 25, 2026 Eugene Frank Updated May 25, 2026– Turkey’s first nuclear power plant has entered one of its most critical pre-operational stages, with Unit 1 of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant now undergoing final testing and commissioning procedures ahead of 2026 operations start in the coming months. Unit 3 Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant has also reached another key construction milestone with the installation of the main overhead crane inside the turbine hall. Latest May 2026 update from project developer Akkuyu Nuclear JSC confirms that inspection, hydraulic testing and functional verification activities are progressing at the Mediterranean coast project in Mersin Province as Turkey moves closer to becoming a nuclear-energy-producing nation. According to Sergei Butckikh, General Manager of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC, the project team is currently carrying out: These procedures are among the final and most technically demanding stages before a nuclear reactor enters operation. Construction and installation works are also continuing simultaneously across Units 2, 3 and 4 at the site. Reactor Unit 3 of Akk…

Akkuyu nuclear power plant's first unit on track for fall 2026 launch ... Rosatom has focused its efforts on launching the first power unit of Türkiye's Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in 2026, with construction work on the unit now complete and cold hydraulic testing of the reactor underway, according to Anton Dedusenko, chairperson of the board of directors of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC. "We have focused our efforts on making 2026 the launch year for power unit No. 1. Construction work on the first power unit has been completed. We have already loaded fuel assembly simulators into the reactor and completed reactor assembly," Dedusenko said, speaking at the NPPES industry forum in Istanbul. "We are currently conducting cold hydraulic tests of the reactor, one of the mandatory commissioning operations intended to confirm the unit's readiness for subsequent commissioning," he added. Dedusenko said the milestones being reached at the first power unit are setting the pattern for the plant's three remaining units. "All the stages we are going through on the first power unit are paving the way for the other three power units as well. We have already received permission to begin commissioning wo…

Akkuyu's first unit nears launch - Nuclear Engineering International The launch of the first reactor of the Akkuyu NPP, under construction in Türkiye, is planned for 2026, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told theTRT HaberTV channel. “We plan to commission the first reactor of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant within this year,” he said, adding that he was planning a visit to the site with Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev. According to Bayraktar, the construction Akkuyu unit 1 is currently approximately 95% complete. Akkuyu NPP will eventually host four Russian-designed VVER-1200 reactors. The pouring of first concrete for unit 1 took place in April 2018, for unit 2 in June 2020, for unit 3 in March 2021, and for unit 4 in July 2022. Rosatom is constructing the reactors according to a build-own-operate model. Meanwhile, Russia’s NPP Doza has received a manufacturer’s certificate from the Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NDK – Nükleer Düzenleme Kurumu). The document was issued based on the results of an examination of the integrated management system during an on-site inspection of the enterprise’s production site. During the assessment, NDK specialists confirmed the c…

Rosatom plans to deliver nuclear fuel to El Dabaa NPP in Egypt in 1H 2027 The plant is expected to be connected to the power grid in 2028, Alexey Likhachev noted

Rosatom prepares for key stage of commissioning the first power ... - ru The first power unit of the Akkuyu NPP, which Russia is building in Turkey, is entering the final stretch before launch. Rosatom head Alexey Likhachev announced that the loading of nuclear fuel and the physical start-up of the reactor are scheduled for autumn 2026. Akkuyu NPP Источник изображения: Rosatom Before this, specialists will carry out one of the most important preparation stages – the so-called "hot run". It is expected to begin in July. During the tests, the reactor plant equipment will be checked under operating temperature conditions to confirm the reliability of all systems before fuel loading. If the tests are successful, fuel loading and power unit start-up will begin in autumn, Likhachev said. Akkuyu NPP will be Turkey's first nuclear power plant. It is being built according to a Russian design with VVER-1200 Generation III+ reactors, each with a capacity of 1200 MW. In total, the plant will have four power units. The project is considered unique for the global nuclear industry: it is implemented under the "build – own – operate" model, where the Russian side not only builds the plant but als…

First unit of Turkey’s Akkuyu NPP to launch in autumn-winter — Rosatom CEO According to Alexey Likhachev, Rosatom received permission for the loading of dummy fuel assemblies into the first reactor of the Akkuyu NPP