The first power unit of the Akkuyu NPP under construction in Turkey, which is being built by the Russian state corporation Rosatom, is expected to begin test electricity generation by the end of 2026. This was stated by the head of the country's Ministry of Energy, Alparslan Bayraktar.

According to the minister, work on launching the first reactor is in full swing, and both sides – Russian and Turkish – have focused all their efforts on this task. Before launch, specialists will have to conduct about two thousand tests. Testing has already begun, and 15–20% of the total volume has been completed so far.

Turkey's first nuclear power plant will consist of four power units with VVER-1200 reactors with a total capacity of 4.8 GW. As early as April 2024, Bayraktar stated that the first power unit was 95% ready and expressed hope to launch it by the end of the same year – however, deadlines were shifted due to the pandemic and difficulties with equipment procurement.

In early 2026, the minister again confirmed the 95% readiness of the unit, explaining the delays by political obstacles in supplies. By April, readiness reached 99%, and October 2026 was named as the optimistic date for the start of electricity generation, with December as the mandatory deadline. In June, it became known that Rosatom is proceeding with the “hot run” of reactor equipment – a key stage before loading nuclear fuel, scheduled for autumn 2026.