Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant construction progress

Construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Mersin, Turkey, has reached several infrastructure and safety milestones.

In late August 2026, the site commissioned a second independent fire station to bolster emergency response capabilities. The facility, part of a project by Rosatom, includes training classrooms and specialized equipment storage, with the goal of eventually operating three stations to ensure any site facility can be reached within 10 minutes.

Simultaneously, Akkuyu Nükleer A.Ş. announced the completion of welding for the main circulation pipeline of the plant’s second power unit. This 73-day operation involved welding 32 connection points to link the reactor, steam generators, and main circulation pumps. The process included high-temperature heat treatment and specialized coatings to prevent corrosion, with all joints undergoing ultrasonic, capillary, and radiographic inspections to verify quality. Sergei Butckikh, General Manager of Akkuyu Nükleer A.Ş., described the completion of this pipeline as “one of the most important operations in the construction of a power unit.”

In early September 2026, the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Moscow Center began a planned peer evaluation of the plant’s first power unit. Using the ‘Crew Performance Observation’ method, experts are utilizing a full-scale simulator to test control room operators through three controlled scenarios. These simulations mimic real operating conditions, such as equipment failures, to assess the operators' ability to monitor unit status and adhere to nuclear safety principles. Butckikh noted this mission is a “critical pre-operational process” intended to leverage global expertise to improve production processes and emergency procedures.