MOSCOW, February 6. /TASS/. Construction and installation work at the Akkyu nuclear power plant still under construction in Turkey, continues, a spokesperson with Akkuyu Nukleer company told TASS.

Akkuyu Nukleer is an enterprise of Russia’s Rosatom nuclear state corporation.

On Monday, a powerful 7.7-magnitude quake struck the Kahramanmaras province in the southeast of Turkey, killing over 1,000 people. In neighboring Syria, devastating aftershocks rocked the provinces in the country’s north and northwest, taking the lives of more than 400 people as a result of the natural disaster. Thousands have been left injured. More recently, a new 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked Turkey.

"Akkuyu Nukleer specialists conducted a prompt, operational inspection of all buildings, structures, tower cranes, scaffolding and other structures under construction for deviations and damage. No damage was found as a result of the inspection. Construction and installation work continues," the spokesperson of Akkuyu Nukleer said.

Earlier, Director of Akkuyu Nukleer JSC Anastasia Zoteeva said that the company’s department of mobilization training, civil defense and emergency situations and emergency centers were cooperating with Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and were preparing to send equipment and personnel to assist in post-earthquake relief and cleanup efforts.

Akkuyu NPP and seismic

According to the Turkish Earthquake Map of the Ministry of Construction, the Akkuyu NPP site is located in the seismic zone of the fifth degree, the safest according to the earthquake zone classification. For the entire history of observations, no large and destructive earthquakes have been observed in the 50-km zone around the site. However, the project is designed to withstand a maximum earthquake of up to 9 on the Richter Scale. During the NPP’s construction, seismic activity is regularly monitored. Two seismic stations are located on the site itself, and 12 more are located at a distance of 40 km from it. The data from the stations are transmitted to the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KRDAE). An analysis of seismic activity at the site is carried out to clarify and confirm the terrain’s parameters. All buildings and structures on the site, depending on their category, are designed for certain loads. If the monitoring reveals that the parameters have changed compared to the designed ones, a recalculation will be promptly performed and measures will be taken to strengthen certain structures.

About the project

The Akkuyu is the first nuclear power plant to be built in Turkey. The project is being implemented in accordance with the inter-governmental agreement, signed by Russia and Turkey in 2010. It is being funded completely by the Russian side. Russia’s Rosatom is a majority shareholder of Akkuyu Nukleer JSC, tasked with the development, construction, maintenance, operation and decommissioning of the power plant.

The nuclear station will include four Russian-designed VVER generation 3+ reactors. Each reactor’s power output will stand at 1,200 MWt. Once commissioned and brought to full capacity, the NPP will produce about 35 billion kWh every year.