The steam generators – which are about 14 metres long and have a diameter of 4 metres – were manufactured at the Atommash plant in Volgodonsk, which part of Rosatom’s machine-building division.
The 340-tonne steam generators were delivered via a 3,000-kilometre journey by sea.
Sergey Butskikh, CEO of Akkuyu Nuclear, said: “Steam generators are key components of the reactor plant. They transfer the thermal energy generated by the reactor to the secondary circuit for subsequent electricity generation. The delivery of the equipment package for unit 4 confirms the stable operation of the project’s production and logistics chain. As the building structures are ready, we provide the site with the equipment necessary for subsequent installation stages. This allows for the smooth progress of construction and installation work at all nuclear power plant facilities.”
Maxim Zhidkov, head of the Atommash plant, said: “Several years have passed since Atommash engineers began manufacturing equipment for the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Turkey. This isn’t just a set of mechanical steps; it’s a real contribution to improving the lives of millions of people. A modern nuclear power plant not only generates billions of kilowatts of clean energy, but also creates new jobs, advances science, improves the quality of education, and provides access to nuclear technologies, which are in demand today in a variety of fields, from agriculture to healthcare.”
Background
Akkuyu, in the southern Mersin province, is Turkey’s first nuclear power plant. Rosatom is building four VVER-1200 reactors, under a so-called BOO (build-own-operate) model. According to the terms of the 2010 Intergovernmental Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey, the aim was for the commissioning of the first power unit of the nuclear power plant to take place within seven years from receipt of all permits for the construction of the unit.
The licence for the construction of the first unit was issued in 2018, with construction work beginning that year. The first steam generators were shipped to the site – for unit 1 – in August 2020. Nuclear fuel was delivered to the site in April 2023. The aim is for unit 1 to begin supplying Turkey’s energy system during 2026.
When the 4800 MWe plant is completed, it is expected to meet about 10% of Turkey’s electricity needs. First concrete for unit 4 was poured in August 2023.
Turkey has plans for a second nuclear power plant, at Sinop, and has also been in talks with China about plans for a third plant, in the Thrace region in the country’s northwest.
The country is also developing plans for small modular reactors, with the aim of adding 5 GWe of capacity by 2050 – which would mean the equivalent of at least 16 individual SMRs.
