A polar crane has been installed at Unit 2 of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. This is a circular overhead traveling crane that will be the main lifting mechanism in the reactor compartment. The equipment will be used at all stages of the plant's life cycle: from fuel loading to taking the unit into repair and servicing the reactor installation during normal operation.
The crane installation was preceded by the concreting of the fifth tier of the inner containment. The work was carried out continuously for about six hours, during which time specialists laid 240 cubic meters of self-compacting concrete. After the structure reached its design strength, the builders began installing the metal structures of the crane bridge.
The polar crane ensures precise positioning of loads in the closed space of the reactor hall. Its design allows operations with fuel assemblies, core components, and other critical equipment without stopping the power unit. Redundancy of drives and control systems eliminates the risk of the load getting stuck above the reactor – one of the key scenarios considered when designing lifting mechanisms for nuclear power plants.
The Akkuyu NPP is being built according to a Russian project with VVER-1200 reactors. The plant will be the first nuclear power plant in Turkey. The total capacity of the four power units will exceed 4800 MW. The launch of the first unit is scheduled for December 2026, with the commissioning of the remaining units at one-year intervals.
