Akkuyu 1 Completes Hydraulic Tests, Progresses Towards Operation

Akkuyu 1, the first unit of Turkey's inaugural nuclear power plant, has successfully concluded cold hydraulic tests. These tests involved increasing the primary circuit pressure to 24.5 MPa, approximately 1.5 times the normal operating pressure, with water temperatures reaching 135°C. Specialists verified that all equipment met design specifications and international safety standards. The automated process control system (APCS) was operational during these tests, allowing personnel to monitor equipment and pipeline conditions from the control room.

The cold hydraulic tests, which commenced in June after dummy fuel loading, are designed to confirm the proper installation and operational readiness of safety-critical components and systems in a cold state. A primary objective is to verify the leak-tightness of the primary circuit and its components, as well as to clean the main circulation pipes. This phase marks the initial operation of the reactor systems in conjunction with auxiliary systems. Following these, hot functional tests will be conducted to ensure equipment and systems are prepared for operational conditions, including checking the four main circulation pumps at temperatures of at least 260°C. Both cold and hot tests precede the loading of nuclear fuel during the commissioning process.

Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, stated that the successful completion of hydraulic testing confirms the quality of installation, welding, and commissioning work, marking another step toward the unit's physical startup. He emphasized the critical importance of the primary circuit's reliability for the entire unit's safe operation, noting the stringent technological requirements for its equipment, pipelines, and welded joints.

Project Background and Future Plans

The Akkuyu plant, located in the southern Mersin province, is being constructed by Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom under a build-own-operate (BOO) model. The project involves four VVER-1200 reactors. An intergovernmental agreement from 2010 stipulated that the first unit would be commissioned within seven years of receiving all construction permits. The construction license for Unit 1 was issued in 2018, with work beginning the same year. Nuclear fuel was delivered to the site in April 2023. The objective is for Unit 1 to commence supplying electricity to Turkey's energy grid by the end of 2026. Once fully operational, the 4,800 MWe plant is projected to fulfill approximately 10% of Turkey's electricity demand.

Beyond Akkuyu, Turkey is pursuing plans for a second nuclear power plant in Sinop and has engaged in discussions with China regarding a third plant in the Thrace region. The country is also developing strategies for small modular reactors (SMRs), aiming to add 5 GWe of SMR capacity by 2050, which would equate to at least 16 individual SMR units.

Terrestrial Energy Submits Topical Report to NRC for IMSR Plant Classification

Terrestrial Energy has submitted a Topical Report to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regarding its Integrated Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) plant. The report asks the NRC to confirm that the construction of the Thermal and Electric Facility (TEF) component of the IMSR plant does not fall under "nuclear construction" regulations in the United States.

The IMSR is a Generation IV reactor designed to use molten salt as both fuel and coolant, with integrated components capable of supplying heat directly to industrial facilities or generating electrical power. The plant design separates into two parts: the Nuclear Facility, which contains standardized nuclear systems, and the TEF, which includes non-nuclear heat transfer, steam supply, and electric systems for commercial power generation and thermal energy supply.

Terrestrial Energy states that its submission demonstrates that the plant's nuclear systems do not rely on the TEF for safe operation and that any failure originating in the TEF is isolated from the nuclear systems. The report incorporates elements of the company's Postulated Initiating Events methodology, which the NRC has already approved.

Regulatory and Financial Implications

NRC approval of the TEF Topical Report would allow the TEF, which can be customized for each site, to be built and operated using an auxiliary heat source, such as natural gas, as a bridge to nuclear power. This could occur before a nuclear construction permit and operating license are granted for the nuclear portion of the plant.

According to Simon Irish, CEO of Terrestrial Energy, this submission could alter how an IMSR Plant is regulated, built, and financed. He noted that with NRC approval, only the nuclear portion of the plant would follow the nuclear licensing timeline, while the rest would become a conventional industrial project. This approach could provide customers with earlier power and heat and offer financing partners a bankable construction phase, representing a fleet-wide advantage for IMSR Plants.

Terrestrial Energy is developing a pipeline of IMSR Plant projects, including a planned facility at the Texas A&M-RELLIS site in Bryan, Texas. In September, the company was selected as the supplier of advanced nuclear plant technology for Ameresco Inc.'s power plant project at the US Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.

The NRC has been engaged in pre-application activities with Terrestrial Energy for the IMSR since 2019. This is the third of at least five Topical Reports the company plans to submit to the regulator during 2026.

JAIF Report Details Economic Impact of Nuclear Power Plants

The Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF) has released a report detailing the economic impact of a single nuclear power plant throughout its operational lifecycle. The analysis, presented by JAIF President and CEO Hideki Masui, estimates a total economic impact of approximately JPY4.3 trillion across the Japanese economy for each plant. This figure includes direct and primary ripple effects, utilizing data from the government's 2025 Working Group on Verification of Power Generation Costs and Japan's 2020 Input-Output Tables.

During the construction phase, a single nuclear power plant project is projected to create around 14,000 jobs annually. From an energy security standpoint, JAIF noted that over 90% of nuclear plant equipment is procured domestically. Additionally, the report highlights a fuel stockpiling effect equivalent to 2.9 years, indicating the duration electricity generation could be maintained using existing nuclear fuel reserves in Japan. Environmentally, nuclear power generation produces no carbon dioxide emissions.

Policy Context and Future Plans

JAIF's analysis aligns with recent government initiatives, including the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's draft target to replace up to five nuclear reactors by the 2040s and 11-14 reactors by the 2050s. In February 2023, Japan's Cabinet approved a policy allowing the construction of new nuclear power reactors and extending the operational lifespan of existing reactors from 40 to 60 years.

The government's 7th Basic Energy Plan, adopted in February 2025, aims to increase nuclear electricity generation from 8.5% in fiscal 2023 to approximately 20% by fiscal 2040. Concurrently, renewable energy's share is projected to rise from 22.9% to 40%-50%, while fossil fuels' share is expected to decrease from nearly 69% to 30%-40%.

Kansai Electric Power Company announced plans in July of the previous year to survey the Mihama nuclear power plant site in Fukui Prefecture for a potential new reactor to replace unit 1, which was decommissioned in 2015. Reports indicate that Kansai is considering the SRZ-1200 advanced light water reactor, developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. This 1,200 MWe reactor, launched in September 2022, is designed to meet enhanced regulatory safety standards. JAIF noted that assessing the economic impact of newly built advanced light-water reactors is challenging due to the absence of such reactors in Japan.