Turkey's Nuclear Regulatory Authority granted a Commissioning Permit for Akkuyu NPP Unit 2 under Board decision 2026-13/1 of 18 March 2026, authorising pre-fuel-load commissioning tests.
Turkey's Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NDK) granted a Commissioning Permit for Unit 2 of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. The permit was issued under Nuclear Regulatory Board decision No. 2026-13/1, dated 18 March 2026 (Source: NDK).
Application filed in May 2025 with more than 22,000 pages of documentation
The permit application had been submitted in May 2025. It included more than 22,000 pages of documentation detailing the commissioning stages, technological operations and the training process for operating personnel (Source: World Nuclear News). This extensive documentation stood out as an illustration of the regulatory rigour of nuclear power plant licensing processes.
Clearing the way for pre-fuel-load tests
With the Commissioning Permit, Akkuyu Nuclear JSC was authorised to carry out the commissioning tests at Unit 2 that precede nuclear fuel loading (Source: energynews.pro). A similar permit had been granted for Unit 1 in December 2023.
Regulatory timeline of the project moving forward
With four VVER-1200 units under construction at the Akkuyu site, the granting of the Commissioning Permit for Unit 2 was the standout regulatory development of March 2026 for the unit's commissioning schedule. In nuclear power plant projects, every step from equipment supply to fuel movements must proceed in coordination with regulatory approvals; in this respect, the process provides a defining framework for planning all site-facing operations, including nuclear project transportation.
Key points of the decision:
- NDK granted the Commissioning Permit for Unit 2 under Board decision No. 2026-13/1 of 18 March 2026.
- The permit application had been filed in May 2025.
- More than 22,000 pages of documentation were submitted with the application.
- The permit allows commissioning tests to be performed ahead of nuclear fuel loading.
- A similar permit had been granted for Unit 1 in December 2023.
Issued in March 2026, the permit was recorded as a significant regulatory threshold on the path towards bringing Unit 2 of the Akkuyu project into service.