Pre-commissioning WANO Peer Review Launched at Türkiye's Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant

The planning phase of the pre-commissioning peer review by the World Association of Nuclear Operators Moscow Centre (WANO-MC) has been launched at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) site in Türkiye. The plant, being constructed by Rosatom, is the first nuclear power plant under construction in Türkiye.

This mission focuses primarily on Unit 1 of the Akkuyu NPP. Upon completion of the review, the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) will conduct an independent assessment of the operational readiness of the unit's systems, equipment, and operating personnel, providing a reference for the subsequent safe operation of the unit. The review is led by Wang Tingkui, head of the WANO-MC Crew Performance Observation (CPO) and peer review team.

As scheduled, the expert team will apply the CPO methodology to evaluate the professional knowledge and operational skills of the main control room operators of Unit 1. The review will be conducted on the full-scope simulator (FSS), with three types of controlled scenarios designed to be as close to real operating conditions as possible, observing operators' performance in unit management, condition monitoring, and response to simulated equipment faults.

The reviewers will also analyze operational procedures, documentation quality, and emergency procedures based on the scenario exercise results to identify potential areas for improvement. In the later phase of the mission, CPO experts will discuss the relevant assessment reports with Akkuyu NPP personnel.

Sergey Butskikh, Chief Executive Officer of Akkuyu Nuclear JSC, stated that the WANO mission is an important part of the plant's pre-commissioning phase, serving not only as a routine inspection but also helping to enhance the capabilities of the operating team, summarize strengths, and identify areas for improvement. He noted that cooperation with WANO enables the plant team to draw on international operating experience and learn and apply industry best practices.

The head of the WANO-MC expert team stated that the primary objective of this mission is to assess the readiness of operating personnel under various unit operating modes, including their response capabilities under operational disturbances and equipment fault conditions. The assessment focuses on the implementation of nuclear safety principles, operator actions and coordination, unit condition monitoring capabilities, and the quality of operational documentation. Based on on-site observations, the operating team at the Akkuyu NPP has already conducted drills on the predefined scenarios, demonstrating the ability to identify deviations and take appropriate measures, while maintaining stable operations when switching to backup control systems.

The Akkuyu NPP is planned to comprise four units, featuring Russian-designed Generation III+ VVER reactors, each with an installed capacity of 1,200 MW. The project is implemented under the build-own-operate (BOO) model. The World Association of Nuclear Operators is composed of nuclear power plant operators worldwide, primarily promoting the exchange of operating experience to enhance the safe and reliable operation of nuclear power plants.