Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant begins WANO safety evaluations

The World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Moscow Center has commenced a planned peer evaluation process for the first power unit of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Turkey. This assessment focuses on the professional knowledge and skills of control room operators using the ‘Crew Performance Observation’ (CPO) method.

During the evaluation, experts will utilize a full-scale simulator to run three controlled scenarios designed to mimic real operating conditions. These scenarios test the operators' ability to monitor unit status, manage operating modes, and respond correctly to simulated equipment failures. The primary criterion for the assessment is adherence to nuclear safety principles.

Wang Tingkui, head of the WANO Moscow Center CPO expert team, noted that the evaluation aims to determine how prepared personnel are to perform duties under various working conditions. Sergei Butckikh, General Manager of Akkuyu Nuclear Inc., emphasized that this mission is a critical pre-operational process that allows the plant to access global industry expertise and identify areas for improvement in production processes, documentation, and emergency procedures.