Simulated fuel assemblies (ITVS – Immitatsionnikh TeploVidelyushikh Sborok) have been loaded into the reactor at unit 1 of the Akkuyu NPP under construction in Türkiye. Rosatom said 163 assemblies were sequentially loaded into the reactor, reflecting the characteristics of nuclear in design, weight and dimensions, but without nuclear materials. The loading process took five days. The fuel simulators and the nuclear fuel Akkuyu 1 were manufactured at Rosatom’s Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NZKhK – Novosibirskii Zavod KhimKonsentratov).
Loading of the simulator assemblies takes place in the final preparatory stages before cold and hot testing of the equipment preceding the physical start-up of the reactor. The use of simulator assemblies makes it possible to confirm the plant is ready for subsequent commissioning operations, during which specialists will check the hydraulic characteristics of the reactor installation, as well as practise transport and technological operations using the refuelling machine.
“Loading simulation fuel assemblies at Akkuyu unit 1 is a dress rehearsal for loading nuclear fuel, noted Sergei Butskikh, Director General project company Akkuyu Nukleer. “Using simulators, we can practise procedures for handling nuclear fuel in conditions as close as possible to operation, and confirm the readiness of equipment and personnel for the next pre-launch stage.”
The loading operation was carried out under the supervision of the Turkish Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NDK – Nükleer Düzenleme Kurumu) in strict accordance with safety requirements.
Turkish Energy & Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the operation marked one of the important stages in preparing the plant for operation. “We are preparing Akkuyu NPP for operation step by step through work carried out meticulously at every stage,” he noted. He added that Türkiye aimed to generate the first electricity from the plant’s first unit by the end of 2026.
The plant 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. Work continues at the facilities of all four units and auxiliary structures as well as a new town for plant operators. Unit 1 is scheduled for launch later this year.
