A symbolic shipment of nuclear fuel was loaded into the first power unit of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant

At the first power unit of Türkiye's first nuclear power plant, the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), representative nuclear fuel assemblies were loaded into the reactor pressure vessel.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, as part of the loading process, which is one of the critical stages in the Akkuyu NPP commissioning program, a total of 163 representative nuclear fuel assemblies were placed in the reactor pressure vessel.

The work, carried out by expert teams, continued uninterrupted for 5 days. The operation, a one-to-one simulation of actual fuel loading, was conducted under the supervision of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NDK) and in compliance with international safety requirements. It tested the mechanical, hydraulic, and thermal systems, as well as the structural integrity of the facility.

Following the completion of the simulated fuel loading operation, the installation of equipment for the upper section of the reactor will begin. Upon completion of this work, cold and hot tests of the reactor facility, one of the stages in the commissioning process of Unit 1, will be carried out.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, in a post on his social media account, stated that another crucial stage in the commissioning schedule of Unit 1 of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant has been successfully completed, adding:

"We aim to achieve the first electricity production from the plant by the end of the year, ushering in a new era for Türkiye in nuclear energy. We will make zero-emission, uninterrupted, and environmentally friendly nuclear energy one of the strongest sources in our country's energy mix. With this strong vision, we will not only focus on Akkuyu but will also add new plants planned in Sinop and Thrace, as well as small modular reactors, to our production portfolio. By 2050, we will resolutely move towards the goal of a fully energy-independent Türkiye by increasing our nuclear capacity to 20,000 megawatts."

One of the final preparatory steps has been completed.

According to a statement from Akkuyu Nuclear Inc., as part of the process, 163 representative fuel assemblies, which have the exact same design specifications, weights, and dimensions as real nuclear fuel assemblies but do not contain nuclear material, were loaded into the reactor sequentially.

The nuclear fuel and representative fuel assemblies used for the first power unit of the Akkuyu NPP were produced at a facility belonging to Rosatom's Fuel Division.

The loading of the representative fuel assemblies is one of the final preparatory steps before the cold and hot tests that will be carried out before the reactor's physical commissioning phase. This operation allows experts to test the hydraulic characteristics of the reactor facility and to practically evaluate the transportation and placement operations to be carried out using the fuel loading machine.

In a statement released by Rosatom, Akkuyu Nuclear JSC General Manager Sergei Butckikh stated that the loading of the representative fuel assemblies represents a comprehensive preparation and testing phase for the nuclear fuel loading process, adding, "Thanks to the representative assemblies, we are testing nuclear fuel-related operations under conditions as close as possible to real operating conditions, and ensuring that the equipment and personnel are ready for the next commissioning phase."