The installation of key safety elements, a heavy-duty crane, and oversized equipment has been completed at the Akkuyu NPP reactor units. Meanwhile, Akkuyu Nuclear is stepping up its social programs in the region to support local communities.
In early April, all eight tanks of the passive core flooding system (PCFS) were installed in the reactor building of Unit 2. The entire installation cycle took eight days.
Each PCFS tank is a thick-walled stainless-steel vessel with a capacity of 120 cubic meters. When the power unit is in operation, each tank will be filled with an aqueous solution of boric acid. If the pressure in the primary coolant circuit drops below specific thresholds, the solution is automatically injected into the core to cool the reactor.
“The passive core flooding system tanks are the last oversized components of the primary coolant circuit to be installed using the Open Top technology. In the next stage of Unit 2 construction, we will install the sixth tier and the dome of the inner containment shell. The PCFS is one of the numerous reactor safety systems that collectively minimize the probability of emergency situations, even in the event of a total power loss,” said Sergey Butskikh, CEO of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC.
In late March, the main component of the polar crane — the bridge weighing 282 tonnes — was installed at Unit 2. It was mounted at the height of 38.5 meters, right beneath the dome of the reactor building’s inner containment shell.
The polar crane is one of the key lifting machines in the reactor building. It will be used throughout the entire lifecycle of the nuclear power plant for moving oversized equipment, conducting reactor maintenance, and refueling. The crane trolley travels along the bridge, while the crane itself moves along a circular rail above the reactor pit, meaning lifting operations can be performed at any point within the building.
“Concurrently with the pre-commissioning operations at the first power unit, intensive construction, mechanical, and thermal installation works are underway at the other Akkuyu units. Just recently, builders finished concreting the fifth tier of the inner containment shell. After the structure reached the necessary strength, we installed the steel structures of the polar crane bridge. This crane features exceptionally high reliability and redundant lifting mechanisms,” Sergey Butskikh pointed out.
In March, a retaining frame was installed in its design position in the reactor building of Unit 4. This is a key structural element of the reactor pit, designed to securely anchor the reactor pressure vessel. The retaining frame is a welded steel structure over 7 meters in diameter, about 1 meter high, and weighing approximately 27 tonnes.
“Installing large-size components requires meticulous preparation: it is necessary to consider all weather factors and ensure that the supporting metal structures, machinery, and qualified personnel are ready. The installation crews successfully accomplished the task. With the frame installed, we can continue the construction of the reactor pit,” Sergey Butskikh explained.
As the largest infrastructure project in the Mersin Province, the Akkuyu NPP respects local traditions and actively collaborates with the local community, contributing to the expansion of the region’s development potential. On the occasion of the holy feast of Eid al-Fitr, Akkuyu Nuclear JSC supported families living in the Akkuyu NPP host region by handing over food packages for local residents to the administrations of the Gülnar and Silifke districts.
“We are committed to the steady development of the region and the well-being of its residents, and we consistently work with local communities to support meaningful social initiatives. Fully sharing universal human values such as solidarity, mutual assistance, care for one’s neighbors, and compassion, the Akkuyu NPP team congratulates the residents of the region on the holy feast of Eid al-Fitr and wishes everyone goodness, joy, and prosperity,” Sergey Butskikh said.
These initiatives are part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy being implemented as part of the project to build Türkiye’s first nuclear power plant.
Photo by: Akkuyu Nuclear JSC
