Construction Akkuyu - nuclear power plant in Turkey. The origins and fate of the project

Recently, relations between Russia and Turkey, being warm and friendly until November 2015, have sharply escalated. The reason for this was the dubious action of the Turkish government, aimed at the Russian bomber Su-24. Initially, the heated Russian authorities showed a harsh intention to freeze all joint projects, such as the Turkish Stream and the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey, but eventually it became clear that the sanctions imposed on Turkey did not include such steps. If the "Turkish flow" is very often heard from the news or read in the newspapers, then about the NPP "Akkuyu" in the media information is slightly less. What is this project and how did such a large-scale idea come about?

The origins and participants of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant project

The first official news about the project appeared on January 13, 2010: Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin and the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Turkey Taner Yildiz announced the beginning of joint work on the construction of a nuclear power plant on the southern coast of Turkey in Mersin province. Akkuyu, the nuclear power plant, thus, became the largest at that time confirmed joint project between Russia and Turkey. In the future, the participants of the project were identified and named: OJSC Atomenergoproekt (general designer), Atomstroyexport (general contractor), Rosenergoatom Concern OJSC (technical customer) and JSC AKUKU NPP (general customer and investor). Also in the project are FGBU SIC "Kurchatov Institute", acting as a scientific supervisor, and LLC "InterRAO-WorleyParsons", consultant on licensing issues.

The main planned characteristics of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant

What will be the nuclear power plant, which since 2011 and to this day erect Turkish and Russian specialists? Akkuyu (nuclear power plant) is designed with a four-block, with a total output capacity of 4800 megawatts. The type of nuclear reactors that will be used at the station was chosen by VVER-1200 - it was with the project of this type of reactor that Russia won a tender for the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant. The first unit of the plant is expected to be put into operation by 2020, the second - by 2021, the third and the fourth, respectively, in 2022 and 2023.

The attitude of the local population towards the construction of nuclear power plants

The Akkuyu site (ak kuyu tour - the "white well") on which the nuclear power plant is being built, is located in relative proximity to the Mersin and Buyukyageli settlements. Far from all the locals appreciated the initiative of the two countries to build the Akkuyu nuclear power plant. Nuclear power plants, in their opinion, can adversely affect both the environment and their health. Those who heard about nuclear disasters in Chernobyl and at the Fukushima nuclear power plant even more vehemently opposed the development of the project. To ensure that the population of nearby cities does not become a victim of disinformation, information centers will soon be launched in Mersin and Beykyukagi, which will not only light the project itself for the citizens of Turkey, but will also talk in more detail about the pros of nuclear energy.

Training of Turkish specialists in Russia

At the moment, more than a hundred Turkish students are studying in Russia, at the MEPhI University (National Research Nuclear University). The task of teachers is to prepare students for work at nuclear power plants at the highest level. Turkish specialists, in addition to training directly within the walls of the university, practice in the training and technical centers of Rosatom. After passing through all the stages, the graduates become members of a huge team of specialists who will serve at Akkuyu station. The NPP is incredibly complex and, in case of insufficient competence of the personnel, a dangerous structure, so the role is played not only by the formal passage of the course, but also by understanding its essence, so the selection of entrants in 2011 was particularly strict.

The fate of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant project after the events of November 2015

It is still difficult to say whether at least one reactor of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant will be commissioned by 2020. Turkey intends to develop cooperation with Russia on important joint projects, but the relationship between the two countries remains tense - the sanctions entered into force, and there is no talk of abolishing them. However, both Turkish and Russian media unanimously speak about the gradual warming of relations, as well as about the absence of any claims on current major projects. Work on the construction of nuclear power plants does not stop, which means a high probability of meeting the plan in a timely manner.