Business · Energy & Commodities · 7 hrs ago
Akkuyu’s first reactor is expected to begin start-up in December
Rosatom says Akkuyu’s first reactor is on schedule for start-up in the second half of December.
The plant is being built in Turkey, and Rosatom chief Alexey Likhachev gave the update in Moscow.
He said the project aims to move the reactor from construction into commissioning by the end of the year.
A controlled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction is expected before year-end, according to Likhachev.
This would mark an important step in bringing the reactor into operation, but the update does not say it will begin supplying electricity then.
Rosatom also said it has developed options for involving Turkish investors.
The Turkish government will have the first choice among those options, Likhachev said.
Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev said the first reactor at Türkiye’s Akkuyu nuclear power plant is expected to achieve its first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction before the end of 2026.
The physical start-up process is planned for the second half of December, and work is proceeding on schedule, he said.
Likhachev said the unit is expected to move from construction to commissioning by year-end.
The plant is being built in Mersin province by Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom.
Its four reactors are planned to have a combined capacity of 4,800 megawatts.
- Who
- Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev made the announcement.
- What
- The first reactor at Akkuyu is expected to begin start-up and achieve its first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction before year-end.
- When
- The physical start-up process is planned for the second half of December 2026.
- Where
- The Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Mersin province, Türkiye.
- Why
- Not stated
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Likhachev said work was on schedule for the reactor’s planned physical start-up in the second half of December.
The physical start-up process is planned to begin.
The first reactor is expected to achieve its first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.
- Location
- Mersin province, Türkiye
- Operator and builder
- Rosatom
- Number of reactors
- 4
- Combined installed capacity
- 4,800 megawatts
- Planned physical start-up
- Second half of December 2026
2 sources
What people are saying
We are proceeding on schedule for the physical start-up process planned for the second half of December.
We hope the unit in Türkiye will move from the construction phase to the commissioning phase by the end of the year.
We have developed various options for working with Turkish investors. The right to choose among these options naturally belongs first and foremost to the Turkish government.