A new chemical laboratory has been commissioned at the Akkuyu NPP construction site in Turkiye to conduct high-accurate water monitoring, which will be used in the NPP operation and equipment flushing during the preparation stage for start-up of the units.
Akkuyu will eventually host four Russian-designed VVER-1200 reactors. The pouring of first concrete for unit 1 took place in April 2018, for unit 2 in June 2020, for unit 3 in March 2021, and for unit 4 in July 2022. Completion of unit 1 is expected in the third quarter of 2023. The VVER-1200 reactors have a number of key safety features including double-circuit steam generation, which prevents water in different circuits from mixing.
Specialists of the chemical laboratory will analyse the indicators of ultra-pure desalinated water for compliance with modern international requirements. It is designed for circulation in the primary closed circuit of the reactor – between the reactor plant and the steam generator.
This is the first such laboratory in Turkiye. Advanced equipment will enable monitoring of the quality indicators of the NPP initial and flushing water in a continuous mode directly at the construction site. “Already specialists are engaged in chemical analysis of desalinated water, which will be required for flushing equipment and pipelines of the process systems of the Akkuyu NPP when preparing for physical start-up of unit 1,” said Sergei Butskikh, First Deputy Director of Akkuyu Nukleer. “I would like to note that the laboratory employs both experienced Russian engineers and young Turkish specialists who are acquiring knowledge, experience and learning modern chemical monitoring technologies.”
