Türkiye continues construction of first NPP

Türkiye has accomplished the installation of the fourth tier of inner containment (IEC) in the reactor building of the second power unit of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant (NPP).

The inner containment, which consists of a steel cladding that seals the reactor compartment and special concrete, is one of the key elements in the NPP’s safety system, Anadolu reports.

The total weight of the fourth tier is over 144 tonnes, with a diameter of 22 metres and a height of 8 metres.

The installation at Akkuyu Unit 2 took three months, using a Liebherr LR 13000 heavy crawler crane and two hydraulic units.

A special traverse was also developed for the installation of the fourth layer, which protects the prefabricated structure from deformation when the crane moves.
The reactor buildings of the Akkuyu units are equipped with double containment.

The reinforced concrete outer containment shell is designed to withstand earthquakes of up to magnitude 9, tsunamis, hurricanes and a combination of extreme external factors.

The design of Türkiye’s first NPP includes four power units with VVER-1200 reactors with a total capacity of 4,800 megawatts.

The first NPP unit will be commissioned in 2023, in time for the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Republic of Türkiye.