ROSATOM and IIT Bombay Launch 'Atomic Hack India 2026'

Andhra Pradesh's thermal power stations produced 19,268 MU of electricity from April to September in the current fiscal year, a 13.1% rise compared to the 17,037 MU generated during the same period in FY26. This record output was supported by an increase in the average availability of thermal stations, which rose from 66% to 79%, and an improvement in the Plant Load Factor (PLF) from 58.7% to 66.4%.

To ensure continuous power supply, the state has implemented a robust fuel security system and an advance power purchase plan. This includes arranging alternative coal sources due to reduced supplies from Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL). Imported coal deliveries are on schedule, with three vessels already at Krishnapatnam Port and a fourth expected by mid-October. The procurement of 3 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of imported coal for APGENCO stations was approved on October 7, with Letters of Intent being issued promptly.

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.