Akkuyu NPP in Mersin

Continuing our acquaintance with the province of Mersin, we could not ignore the topic of the nuclear power plant currently under construction in Mersin in the Gulnar district. Some people are afraid of such a neighborhood, especially those who have not figured out this topic. In fact, the Akkuyu NPP is not only the largest nuclear construction site on the planet (almost 10,000 different specialists are involved), but also the safest project of Rosatom to generate cheap electricity.

So, on April 3, 2018, the Presidents of Turkey and Russia, during a ceremony by video link, launched the construction of the station, the commissioning of which is scheduled for 2023 and will most likely be timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. The entire world experience was applied in the project and the latest technologies in the field of nuclear energy were used. It is not for nothing that specialists chose Mersin for the construction of this grandiose project. The region is included in the list of seismically safe provinces of Turkey. Nevertheless, no one has canceled the security requirements and in this project they are at the highest level. Compared to other stations, Akkuyu NPP has the best characteristics:
- the station is designed in such a way that it can withstand a 9-point earthquake, tsunami and even a direct fall of an airplane
- several protective shells protect the reactor, preventing the leakage of radioactive substances. During 2022, studies were constantly carried out and soil and water samples were taken, confirming that the background radiation level is at the lower maximum permissible values
- only the most qualified employees are allowed to work. Now, these are mainly Russian employees, who, in turn, train Turkish-speaking staff. At the moment, the station employs about 300 Turkish employees who are graduates of MEPhI and SPbPU. Also, since 2021, the discipline "Introduction to Nuclear Energy" has been included in the program of seven technical lyceums of Mersin
- employees are constantly undergoing advanced training at the Akkuyu training center. There is also a psychophysiological laboratory, where employees of technological workshops regularly undergo examinations.

The energy capacity of each unit is 1200 MW, the total is 4800 MW. It is expected that the new nuclear power plant will provide 10% of the total energy needs of the country. The volume of invested funds is $ 22 million.