On April 27, a solemn ceremony dedicated to the delivery of the first batch of nuclear fuel for Turkey's first nuclear power plant was held at the Akkuyu NPP construction site in Turkey. This historic event marks the entry of the Republic of Turkey into the community of countries developing nuclear generation technologies on their territory.
Aleksey Likhachev hands over a certificate for nuclear fuel to Fatih Dönmez
The ceremony was attended via videoconference by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Fatih Dönmez, Director General of Rosatom State Corporation Alexei Likhachev and other official guests.
The leaders of the two countries gave symbolic permission to deliver the first batch of fresh nuclear fuel to the Akkuyu NPP site. Wheeled platforms with transport packaging kits, in which fuel assemblies were delivered to the site, proceeded from the checkpoint to the fresh fuel storage. Alexey Likhachev handed over to Fatih Dönmez a certificate confirming the delivery of fuel in compliance with all safety standards and requirements. Representatives of three generations of residents of the Gulnar district - a representative of the older generation, his grandson, a schoolboy and a young nuclear engineer - raised the flag of peaceful atom over the Akkuyu NPP site as a sign of Turkey's joining the community of countries developing nuclear energy technologies on its territory.
“It is very symbolic that Turkey is joining the club of industrially and technologically developed states that already have their own nuclear industry, and it is precisely in 2023, when Turkey celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his address.
Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev said: “With the delivery of fresh nuclear fuel to the Akkuyu NPP site, it becomes a nuclear facility, and the Republic of Turkey receives the status of a country with peaceful nuclear technologies. The construction of the first nuclear power plant in Turkey has become a truly joint project. More than 400 Turkish companies participate in it. It can be said that Turkey has already developed its own nuclear industrial cluster. The accumulated experience of cooperation will allow us to realize the potential of this cluster on other projects.”
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, in his address to the guests of the ceremony, noted: “Nuclear energy brings great benefits, and at the same time great responsibility. Therefore, the IAEA has been following the Akkuyu NPP project from the beginning and providing support to ensure compliance with safety requirements. Today we are full of hope, and we take this step with faith in success. Akkuyu nuclear power plant will produce clean energy in 100 years. You can count on the support of the IAEA every step of the way.”
Fuel assemblies for the first power unit of the Akkuyu NPP arrived at the fresh fuel storage facility, where they will be stored in compliance with all technological requirements. After the block is ready for loading, specialists will place fuel in the reactor and perform a physical launch to check the parameters of the reactor core.
