A total of 163 dummy nuclear fuel assemblies were loaded into the first reactor unit of Akkuyu, Türkiye's first nuclear power plant, the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry announced on Tuesday.
The operation, conducted under the supervision of Türkiye's Nuclear Regulatory Authority, in compliance with international safety requirements, successfully tested the facility's mechanical, hydraulic, and thermal systems alongside its structural durability, the ministry said in a statement.
The loading operation marks one of the key stages in the commissioning program of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant. The operations were conducted by expert teams over five days.
Assembly work on the upper components of the reactor is set to begin following the dummy fuel loading operation. Upon completion of these works, cold and hot functional tests, another key stage in the commissioning process of Unit 1, will be conducted.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said in a social media post that another major milestone in the commissioning schedule of Akkuyu NPP's Unit 1 had been successfully completed.
"We aim to achieve the first electricity generation from the plant by the end of the year and usher Türkiye into a new era in nuclear energy," Bayraktar said.
"We will make zero-emission, continuous and environmentally friendly nuclear energy one of the strongest components of our energy mix," he added.
In addition to the two other plants planned in Sinop and Thrace region, Bayraktar said they will also add small modular reactors to the country's generation portfolio.
"By increasing our nuclear capacity to 20,000 megawatts by 2050, we will continue moving decisively toward the goal of a fully energy-independent Türkiye," he said.
- One of the final preparatory steps completed
According to a statement by Akkuyu Nuclear JSC, within the scope of the operation, 163 dummy fuel assemblies—identical in design, weight, and dimensions to real nuclear fuel assemblies but containing no nuclear material—were sequentially loaded into the reactor.
Loading of dummy fuel assemblies represents one of the final preparatory stages before the cold and hot tests that will take place ahead of the reactor's physical start-up phase, the company said.
The operation enables specialists to test the hydraulic characteristics of the reactor facility and practically evaluate fuel transportation and placement procedures using the fuel-loading machine, it added.
Sergei Butckikh, general manager of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC, noted that the loading of dummy fuel assemblies represents a comprehensive preparation and testing phase for the nuclear fuel loading process.
"Thanks to the dummy assemblies, we test operations related to nuclear fuel under conditions as close as possible to actual operating conditions, ensuring that the equipment and personnel are ready for the next commissioning phase," Butckikh said.
Reporting by Basak Erkalan
Writing by Humeyra Ayaz
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr
