Common-station Desalination Plant Starts Operating at Akkuyu NPP Site

The modern complex will fully meet the fresh water needs of the nuclear power plant.

A seawater desalination plant started operating at the Akkuyu NPP site (being built by Rosatom State Corporation in Türkiye). The plant consisting of two modules with a capacity of 1,000 cubic metres per day will provide Akkuyu NPP with desalinated water for general needs and fire safety systems.

Seawater will be converted by evaporation and condensation into a high–purity distillate in special evaporator units of the desalination complex, from which ultrapure chemically desalinated water will be produced. It will also be possible to obtain drinking-quality water at the desalination plant in the future. For this purpose, the plant is equipped with a special mineralization unit, where the distillate will be saturated with mineral salts in full compliance with water treatment standards.

We are gradually putting into operation the first start-up complex infrastructure facilities, which will operate throughout the entire life of the NPP. The launch of the common-station desalination plant is an important event for ensuring uninterrupted water supply, and therefore it plays an important role for the reliable operation of the NPP in general. This is also one of the advantages of nuclear energy: after the launch, the NPP will provide itself with water from the generated electricity. The desalination cycle is completely eco-friendly. The water returned to the sea after use will comply with Turkish and international standards both in terms of temperature and chemical composition.

Sergei Butckikh, Akkuyu Nuclear JSC Chief Executive Officer

Rosatom has many years of experience in the development and implementation of desalination technologies, including the construction of desalination plants at the NPP site. The key advantage of such a campaign is the combination of two industries that provide the most important resources for human life – water and electricity. This creates a unique resource cluster for the territory development.

About Akkuyu NPP
Akkuyu NPP is the first nuclear power plant being built in the Republic of Türkiye. The Akkuyu NPP project includes four power units equipped with Generation 3+ VVER reactors of Russian design.

The capacity of each power unit will be 1,200 MW. Akkuyu NPP is the first project in the global nuclear industry being implemented according to the Build-Own-Operate model.

Russia is actively developing scientific and technical cooperation with all interested countries. The implementation of major international projects also continues. Rosatom and its divisions take part in this work.