Cor Holder of the 3rd Unit of Akkuyu NPP Arrived at the Power Plant

The core holder, one of the main elements of the additional (passive) security system of the 3rd unit of Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NGS), has arrived at the site. The core holder, which was brought to the Eastern Cargo Terminal by ship, was placed in its design position on the reactor shaft in Unit 3.

The core holder, which is a cone-shaped tank made of steel, has a body height of 6,14 meters, a diameter of 5,83 meters and a weight of 144 tons. Reliably trapping the molten core parts in an emergency, the core arrester prevents them from leaking out of the reactor building.

During the operation of the power plant, the core holder, which is filled with a special filling material, ensures that some of the melt of the active part, which arises from the interaction with this material, is lost. These processes create the necessary conditions for the melt to be trapped and cooled. The core arrester, which has maximum safety features such as high seismic resistance, hydrodynamic, impact resistance, was produced at the TYAZHMASH factory in Russia, which specializes in the production of such equipment.

Sergey Butckikh, First Deputy General Manager of AKKUYU NÜKLEER A.Ş and Director of NGS Construction Affairs, said the following on the subject: “The core holder is the first major equipment installed in the reactor building of the 3rd unit. Core holders are part of all modern nuclear power units with reactors of generation 1200+, type VVER-3. This is based on the unique knowledge of scientists specializing in the nuclear field, which ensures the safety of the environment and people in any scenario when operating a nuclear power plant. It is very important to carry out a comprehensive check before installing the core holder. In the manufacturing facility, AKKUYU NÜKLEER A.Ş. The quality control of the core holder was carried out with the participation of representatives of When it arrived at the Akkuyu NPP site, another mandatory access control procedure was implemented, confirming the integrity and reliability of the equipment.”

All stages of construction are also inspected by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NDK) and independent inspection organizations.