The first batch of fresh nuclear fuel was delivered to Akkuyu NPP on 27 April 2023. With a ceremony attended by Putin and Erdogan via video link, the plant officially gained "nuclear facility" status.
The first batch of fresh nuclear fuel was delivered to Akkuyu NPP, Turkey's first nuclear power plant, on 27 April 2023. The delivery was officially announced by Rosatom, the project's main contractor (Source: Rosatom). With the fuel on site, the plant officially gained "nuclear facility" status and Turkey joined the group of countries possessing nuclear energy technology.
Putin and Erdogan joined the ceremony by video conference
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the delivery ceremony on 27 April 2023 via video conference. Moscow described the occasion as "a historic event symbolising Turkey's entry into the community of countries developing nuclear technology" (Source: GlobalSecurity).
Fuel produced by TVEL, transported by aircraft and special convoys
The first fuel batch was manufactured by TVEL, Rosatom's fuel company, and was brought to the Akkuyu site by aircraft and special convoys. Because of its strict safety and security requirements, the movement of fresh nuclear fuel ranks among the most sensitive operations in nuclear project transportation, and the Akkuyu delivery was recorded as one of the most critical stages of the project in this respect.
IAEA: A major milestone for sustainable energy
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), described the arrival of the first nuclear fuel in Turkey as an important milestone for sustainable energy (Source: IAEA).
Four VVER-1200 units under construction on site
Industry outlet NucNet also confirmed that Russia had delivered the first batch of fuel for Akkuyu. Four VVER-1200 reactor units are under construction at the site, with a total installed capacity of 4,800 MW (Source: NucNet).
As of April 2023, having the first fuel on site was seen as a threshold of both symbolic and technical significance for the progress of construction and commissioning work at Akkuyu. The key points can be summarised as follows:
- The first batch of fresh nuclear fuel was delivered to the Akkuyu site on 27 April 2023.
- With the ceremony, the plant officially gained "nuclear facility" status.
- The fuel was produced by TVEL and brought to the site by aircraft and special convoys.
- Four VVER-1200 units with a combined capacity of 4,800 MW are being built on site.