Turkey has passed another critical stage in its nuclear power ambitions. A new phase of the pre-operation planned equalization study, conducted by the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Moscow Center, has begun at the 1st power unit of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

This time, the focus of the evaluation is on the unit control room operators of the plant. WANO experts will examine how prepared the worker is to manage the plant reliably under different operating conditions using a full-scale simulator.

Three different scenarios will be applied

Three controlled scenarios prepared in a form as close as possible to real operating conditions will be applied within the scope of the study.

The operators’ ability to monitor the power unit’s status, manage operating modes, and accurately respond to simulated equipment failures will be evaluated. Additionally, team cohesion, operator behavior, and switching to alternative control tools will also be part of the assessment.

The main criterion in the evaluation will be

compliance with nuclear safety principles. Wang Tingkui, Head of the WANO Moscow Center CPO Expert Team, stated that the extent to which personnel are prepared to perform their duties under different working conditions will be evaluated. Tingkui also stated that the Akkuyu NPP team’s level of preparedness is sufficient and that operators detected deviations in the implemented scenarios in a timely manner and took the necessary actions.

Results will be reported

At the end of the study, WANO experts and Akkuyu NPP personnel will evaluate the results of the scenarios performed on the simulator.

The information obtained;

The WANO study will be used to identify areas for improvement in production processes, the quality of operational documentation, and procedures to be followed in extraordinary situations. This will ensure that preparations for the commissioning of the first power unit undergo an independent evaluation.

Akkuyu Nuclear JSC General Manager Sergei Butckikh said that the WANO study is not just a control, but also valuable in terms of revealing the strengths of the groups and identifying areas for improvement.

The target for first electricity production is 2026

Akkuyu NPP is Turkey’s first nuclear power plant. The project consists of four VVER-1200 type reactors, each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts

.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced in June that a valuable study, which is a rehearsal of the actual fuel loading in the first power unit, has been completed. Within this scope, the readiness of the systems for actual fuel loading was tested by placing 163 representative fuel assemblies in the reactor pressure vessel.

The Ministry aims to achieve the first electricity production from the

1st power unit of Akkuyu by the end of 2026. Therefore, WANO’s pre-commissioning peer review is important in terms of ensuring that not only the physical infrastructure of the plant, but also the

operating team and operational processes underwent an international evaluation before commissioning.

Turkey wants to increase its nuclear power capacity

The commissioning of Akkuyu will mean the first inclusion of nuclear power in Turkey’s electricity production portfolio.

Turkey also plans to increase its nuclear installed capacity in the long term. The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources announced its goal of 20,000 megawatts of nuclear capacity by 2050, and it is planned to include small modular reactors in the power portfolio with projects in Sinop and Thrace following Akkuyu.

The WANO assessment, which started in the first unit of Akkuyu, stands out as one of the critical operational preparation steps in Turkey’s transition to nuclear power.

The World Nuclear Operators Association Moscow Center assessment process has begun in the first power unit of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

Nuclear, Akkuyu, Operation, Power, Reality