Reactor vessel for Akkuyu NPP's fourth unit delivered to Türkiye

The reactor vessel for Unit 4 of Türkiye’s Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) has arrived at the construction site in Mersin Province, Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation and the main contractor for the plant, announced. 

According to Rosatom’s press service, the reactor vessel was manufactured at the Atommash plant in Volgodonsk, Rostov Region — part of Rosatom’s machine-building division that specializes in equipment for high-power nuclear reactors, Caliber.Az reports per TASS. 

Alongside the reactor vessel, the delivery also included a transport lock for Unit 3 and a pressure compensator for Unit 4. With this latest shipment, all four reactor vessels for the Akkuyu NPP have now been delivered.

The reactor vessel is a key component of the plant’s nuclear island and belongs to the highest safety class. Once nuclear fuel is loaded, it enables a controlled chain reaction that produces energy. Manufactured from high-strength, heat-resistant alloy steel, the vessel measures approximately 13 meters in length, 4.5 meters in diameter, and weighs around 320 tonnes.

Designed for a service life of 60 years — with the potential for extension to 80 years — the vessel is subject to stringent quality standards throughout its production and testing.

The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, Türkiye’s first nuclear power station, is being built under an intergovernmental agreement between Türkiye and Russia. Once completed, it will comprise four VVER-1200 reactors with a total capacity of 4,800 MW, capable of supplying up to 10% of Türkiye’s electricity demand.

By Sabina Mammadli