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 Su-24 bomber. Initially, the heated Russian authorities showed a firm intention to freeze all joint projects, such as the Turkish Stream and the construction of Akkuyu NPP in Turkey, but over time it turned out that the sanctions imposed on Turkey did not include such steps. If you can often hear about the Turkish Stream from the news or read in the newspapers, there is a little less information about the Akkuyu NPP in the media. What is this project and how did such a large-scale idea come about?
Sources and participants of the Akkuyu NPP project
The first official news about the project appeared on January 13, 2010: Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Turkey Taner Yildiz announced the start of joint work on the construction of a nuclear power plant on the southern coast of Turkey, in the province of Mersin. Thus, Akkuyu NPP became the largest at that time confirmed joint project of Russia and Turkey. Subsequently, the project participants were identified and named: Atomenergoproekt OJSC (general designer), Atomstroyexport CJSC (general contractor), Rosenergoatom Concern OJSC (technical customer) and AKKUYU NPP JSC (general customer and investor). The Kurchatov Institute Research Center, acting as a scientific adviser, and InterRAO-WorleyParsons LLC, a licensing consultant, also take part in the project.
Key Planned Characteristics of Akkuyu NPP
What will be the nuclear power plant, which from 2011 to this day has been erected by Turkish and Russian experts? Akkuyu (nuclear power plant) was designed four-block, with a total output capacity of 4800 megawatts. The type of nuclear reactors to be used at the station was VVER-1200 - it was with the design of this type of reactor that Russia won the tender for the construction of the Akkuyu NPP. The first block of the station is scheduled for commissioning by 2020, the second by 2021, the third and fourth, respectively, in 2022 and 2023.
The attitude of the local population towards the construction of nuclear power plants
The Akkuyu site (turkish ak kuyu - “the white well”), where work is underway on the construction of a nuclear power plant, is located in relative proximity to the settlements of Mersin and Buyukegeli. Not all locals positively evaluated the initiative of the two countries on the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant. NPPs, in their opinion, can adversely affect both the environment and their health. Those who have heard about the nuclear disasters in Chernobyl and at the Fukushima nuclear power plant even more vehemently opposed the development of the project. In order to prevent the population of nearby cities from becoming a victim of misinformation, information centers will soon start working in Mersin and Buyukageli, which will not only illuminate the Turkish citizens themselves, but also tell in more detail about the advantages of nuclear energy.
Training of Turkish specialists in Russia
At present, more than a hundred Turkish students study at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (National Research Nuclear University) in Russia. The task of teachers is to prepare students for work at nuclear power plants at the highest level. Turkish specialists, in addition to studying directly at the university, practice at the educational and technical centers of the Rosatom company. After passing through all stages, graduates become members of a huge team of specialists who will serve at Akkuyu station. A nuclear power plant is incredibly complex and, in the case of insufficient staff competence, a dangerous construction, therefore not only the formal course completion, but also an understanding of its essence plays a role, therefore the selection of applicants in 2011 was especially strict.
The fate of the Akkuyu NPP project after the events of November 2015
It is still difficult to say whether at least one Akkuyu NPP reactor will be commissioned by 2020. Turkey intends to develop cooperation with Russia on important joint projects, but relations between the two countries still remain tense - the declared sanctions have come into effect, and there is no talk of lifting them. However, both Turkish and Russian media unanimously talk about the gradual warming of relations, as well as the absence of any complaints about current major projects. Work on the construction of nuclear power plants does not stop, which means a high probability of fulfilling the plan on time.