Rosatom Director General visited the Akkuyu NPP construction site and affirmed the completion of Unit 1 construction works.
Rosatom State Corporation management delegation headed by Director General Alexey Likhachev visited the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant site (under construction by Rosatom).
During the visit, the head of Rosatom got acquainted with the progress of the start-up and adjustment works at Unit 1, where the construction works have been fully completed and active preparations are underway for the stage of cold-hot running-in of the reactor plant.
To ensure the station operates reliably, two key stages of run-in lie ahead. First, during the “cold” phase, specialists will check the density and strength of the equipment, perform circulating flushing of the first and second circuits, and adjust the water-chemical regime – this will confirm that all systems are ready for loads.
Then comes the “hot” stage: at a temperature of at least 260 °C, the four main circulation pumps will be tested, along with safety and reactor control systems, to verify reliability under operating conditions. These procedures are part of the standards for Generation 3+ reactors, which are used at Akkuyu NPP – Turkey’s first nuclear power plant, comprising four such power units.
“We have registered the completion of construction works. The cold hydraulic tests of the reactor started tonight, and this work will be completed within a few weeks.
There will be just a few weeks left before the start of launch operations, and based on the results of all the work done, an overhaul will be carried out and adjustments will be made to the final stage. This inspiring moment can be compared to the final hundred-meter race on a 42-kilometer marathon course.
It is the very last dash when you need to mobilise all your forces, and a very important topic of the final dash is the launch of the maintenance staff work. The staff of Unit 1 is 1,930 people, more than 40 % of these specialists are Turkish citizens. We are proud that these are graduates of our universities who are currently undergoing practical training at Russian simulators and nuclear power plants,” noted Rosatom Director General.
Ghana is also actively developing its nuclear direction. The Akkuyu project is a clear example of how international cooperation, the transfer of advanced technologies, and targeted training of local specialists turn ambitious plans into real energy projects.
For countries taking their first steps in nuclear energy, such examples are especially valuable – they show that this path is open and accessible, and most importantly, has already been successfully traveled by others.
