A construction license has been obtained for the fourth power unit at the Akkuyu NGS

Oct 01, 2026

The Nuclear Regulatory Authority has approved the issuance of a construction license for the fourth power unit of the Akkuyu NPP on behalf of AKKUYU NUCLEAR Inc. Obtaining the license allows for all construction and installation work to be carried out at the unit, including facilities critical to nuclear safety.

(T2IC) Program Co-Director Mete Bastırmacı:

“This license makes it possible to begin construction on all buildings and structures at Unit 4 that fall under the scope of nuclear safety, such as the reactor and turbine islands. We are now ready to begin work on all four power units.”

(T2IC) Program Co-Director Aleksei Mezhiritckii:

“Early next year, we will begin constructing the foundation slabs for the Unit 4 nuclear island buildings. By the end of this year, we plan to begin pouring the sub-foundation concrete for the reactor and turbine buildings, followed by the installation of reinforcement for the foundations.”

The application documents for the construction license were submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Authority on May 12, 2020. AKKUYU NUCLEAR INC. submitted the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR), the Probabilistic Safety Analysis, and a series of documents verifying the safety and reliability of the power unit to the NRA as part of its construction license application. Following a review of the application documents, the Nuclear Regulatory Board issued a decision deeming it appropriate to grant the Construction License for Unit 4 of the Akkuyu NGS.

Prior to obtaining the construction license, preparatory work—such as ground surveys and excavation—was being carried out at the Unit 4 construction site in accordance with the limited work permit dated June 30, 2021.

The licensing process for Turkey’s first nuclear power plant requires the acquisition of approximately 120 different licenses, permits, and approvals from various government agencies of the Republic of Turkey. To date, key licenses and permits for the project—including a positive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, an electricity generation license, Limited Work Permits and Construction Licenses for the four power units, and an operating permit for the Eastern Cargo Terminal—have been issued. In the coming period, the Nuclear Regulatory Authority will review license applications regarding the commissioning, fuel loading, start-up, and licensing of operating personnel for each of the four power units currently under construction.

Today, the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant site is one of the world’s largest construction sites in the nuclear energy sector. More than 13,000 people work at the Akkuyu NPP site every day, and there are more than 1,000 pieces of construction equipment and vehicles on site, including over 70 tower cranes. All work carried out at the site is conducted under the close supervision and coordination of all relevant public institutions and organizations of the Republic of Turkey, as well as independent nuclear construction inspection organizations.