Concreting of the reactor building foundation slab at Akkuyu NPP Unit 4 was completed on 8 August 2023, with 17,500 cubic metres of concrete and 3,500 tonnes of reinforcement placed.
Concreting of the reactor building foundation slab at Unit 4 of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, under construction in Türkiye, was completed on 8 August 2023. According to Rosatom's official press release, a total of 17,500 cubic metres of concrete were poured into the foundation slab and 3,500 tonnes of reinforcement steel were installed. Source
The foundation slab is a reinforced-concrete element that carries the full load of the reactor building and is critical to the integrity of the structure. According to Rosatom, completion of this stage cleared the way for construction of the reactor pit walls at Unit 4; the area enclosed by these walls will house the core catcher, a safety device designed for severe accident scenarios.
All four units now in the elevation stage
With the Unit 4 foundation slab finished, the reactor buildings of all four units at the Akkuyu site entered the elevation stage. As of August 2023, the main structures of every unit whose foundation works had been completed were rising above ground level.
Concrete aggregates sourced directly on site
One notable detail of the operation was the origin of the materials: the aggregates in the concrete mix, namely crushed stone and sand, were sourced directly from the Akkuyu site. World Nuclear News, reporting the completion of the Unit 4 foundation slab, noted that natural stone materials from the site were used in the high-quality special concrete mix. Source
Key figures of the operation:
- Concreting completed: 8 August 2023
- Concrete poured: 17,500 cubic metres
- Reinforcement installed: 3,500 tonnes
- Aggregate origin: the Akkuyu site (crushed stone and sand)
The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant project comprises four VVER-1200 reactor units. The completion of the foundation slab at the fourth and final unit marked an important threshold, showing that construction had entered the elevation period across all units of the project.
This article is based on Rosatom's official press release of 8 August 2023 and World Nuclear News coverage of 15 August 2023.