Nuclear fuel to be loaded at Akkuyu NPP on April 27. The plant is designed to provide up to 10% of Turkey's electricity needs

Nuclear fuel will be loaded into the first power unit of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant on April 27, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.

"After fuel is loaded at the Akkuyu nuclear power plant on April 27, this facility will officially be considered nuclear," he said during his speech in the parliament.

The Akkuyu is the first nuclear power plant to be built in Turkey. The project is being implemented in accordance with the inter-governmental agreement, signed by Russia and Turkey in 2010. It is being funded completely by the Russian side. Russia’s Rosatom is a majority shareholder of Akkuyu Nuklear JSC, tasked with development, construction, maintenance, operation and decommissioning of the power plant.

The power plant will include four Russian-designed VVER generation 3+ reactors. Each reactor’s power output will stand at 1,200 MWt. Once commissioned and brought to full capacity, the NPP will produce about 35 billion kWh every year. The plant is designed to provide up to 10% of Turkey's electricity needs. The construction of the first nuclear power unit is planned to be completed this year.[TASS]