The first standby diesel generator at Akkuyu NPP Unit 1 was successfully started on 21 February 2025; after idle-mode operation, preparations began for step-by-step load testing.
The first standby diesel generator at Unit 1 of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant was successfully started on 21 February 2025. According to the announcement carried by Atom Media, the generator was first run in idle mode, after which preparations began for step-by-step verification under load. Source
Three 6.3 MW generators per unit
According to World Nuclear News, each unit will have three 6.3 MW standby diesel generators housed in independent buildings. The generators are designed to start up within 15 seconds of a loss of power and to run for at least 72 hours without refuelling, while a six-day fuel stock will be kept on site. Source
A mandatory precondition for cold-hot tests
As reported by Nuclear Engineering International, bringing the standby diesel generators to a state of readiness is a mandatory requirement before the reactor's cold and hot tests can begin. The start-up of the first generator therefore stood out as one of the critical steps to be completed in Unit 1's commissioning schedule. Source
According to Akkuyu Nuclear JSC, the generator will undergo around 50 operational checks in different operating modes before being placed in standby status. Source
The role of backup power systems
At nuclear power plants, standby diesel generators are infrastructure elements designed to supply the unit's safety-critical systems in scenarios where the external grid connection is lost. Housing the generators in independent buildings and configuring them to start within seconds reflects the importance of these systems in the plant's safety architecture.
Delivering power equipment of this scale from manufacturing sites to plant locations is likewise a process requiring dedicated planning; the field of nuclear project transportation deals with the movement of such heavy and critical equipment.
The start-up of the first standby diesel generator on 21 February 2025 was recorded as a development showing that one of the mandatory steps on the road to cold-hot testing at Akkuyu Unit 1 had been completed.