AKKUYU NUCLEAR JSC, which is implementing the first nuclear power plant construction project in the Republic of Turkey, organized a seminar for potential suppliers. The seminar aroused great interest of the business communities from Akkuyu NPP construction region; about 230 representatives of more than 150 various industrial enterprises and organizations from Mersin, Adana, Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Gaziantep and other regions of Turkey took part in the event.
The seminar program included four sessions. At the first session seminar participants listened to welcoming speeches by Salih Sari, Head of Nuclear Infrastructure Development Department Republic of Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, and Yalçın Darıcı, Board Member of Mersin Commerce and Industry Chamber. The session also included presentations by AKKUYU NUCLEAR JSC representatives and invited experts. AKKUYU NUCLEAR JSC Director for Construction and Production Organization Denis Sezemin presented actual information about the current stage of Akkuyu NPP construction. Localization Manager, Directorate of Relations with Public Institutions AKKUYU NUCLEAR JSC, Azat Odekov spoke in detail about Akkuyu NPP project stakeholders’ cooperation in the field of production localization i.e. extending the range of Turkish manufacturers products used in the project. Head of Faculty of Engineering Department and Director of Energy Technologies Application and Research Center Mersin University in his presentation provided statistical data on the impact of the energy industry on the processes causing global warming, and emphasized the special role of nuclear energy in the fight against climatic change.
Head of Nuclear Infrastructure Development Department Republic of Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Salih Sari noted the global trend of increasing demand for nuclear generation in the process of achieving of economy decarbonizing goals. “This October our country ratified the Paris Agreement and thereby set a goal to achieve zero carbon emissions into the atmosphere by 2053. Within this context, nuclear power plants take an important place in the Turkish energy system development strategy. They will contribute significantly to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and at the same time will guarantee the energy security of our country. In accordance with the strategic objectives set, Turkey schedules to build three nuclear power plants, which will operate a total of 12 power units,” Sari said.
AKKUYU NUCLEAR JSC Director for Construction and Production Organization Denis Sezemin during his presentation noted the following: “Currently, the construction of three NPP power units is underway as planned. This October the Nuclear Regulatory Authority Board approved the resolution to issue the construction license for Unit No. 4. Having received the license, we have completed Akkuyu NPP construction licensing process and now we can start the construction of all the major facilities of Unit No. 4. At the beginning of the next year, we plan to start the construction of Unit 4 nuclear island buildings foundation slab.”
The second session of the seminar, at which AKKUYU NUCLEAR JSC representatives took the floor, was devoted to the Rosatom procurement system and the requirements for NPP suppliers, as well as the procedure for conducting procurement procedures in the nuclear industry. During the third session, representatives of the major contractor for Akkuyu NPP construction – joint venture TITAN2 IC ICTAS INSAAT ANONİM ŞİRKETİ – spoke about procurement plans for the next two years, shared experience and practical procurement cases. At the final session of the seminar, procurement practices, procedure of preparing documents and submitting procurement bids, most common mistakes when submitting applications for participation in procurement, as well as the rules for registration on electronic trading platforms were discussed.
In the afternoon, representatives of AKKUYU NUKLER JSC and JV TITAN2 IC ICTAS INSAAT ANONİM ŞİRKETİ held b2b meetings with the seminar participants, during which they answered questions about the Akkuyu NPP project procurement system and the requirements for procurement participants that interested potential suppliers.
Participants of b2b meetings shared their impressions of the seminar:
Hamdi Gökalp, owner of Degisim Agency LLC, Mersin, Mersin, advertising, souvenir production, event management: “The event was successful, we received a lot of useful information. In particular, I want to emphasize the high professionalism of the employees who held b2b meetings. We were clearly shown how the registration procedure on electronic platforms is performed. I want to thank everyone who participated in the seminar organization. Akkuyu NPP project will benefit our country, and we will be very happy to contribute to its implementation.”
Aykut Tor, Head of the Regional Turkish division of IDOM Consulting, Engineering, Architecture S.A.U. (Spain), Engineering, Consulting Services, Design: “I am greatly pleased that we took part in the seminar and b2b meetings with AKKUYU NUCLEAR JSC and the joint venture representatives. They spoke in detail about the procurement procedures and procurement schedules, and also provided clear answers to all our questions.”
Fevzi Boyraz, hotelkeeper of Marvista Turizm Otelcilik JSC, Mersin: “The seminar was quite well organized, everything was thought out to the insignificant detail. We have received comprehensive information on all issues related to procurement within the Akkuyu NPP project. Our hotel, located in the village of Yeşilovacık, started to function relatively recently, this July. We decided to build a hotel in this place precisely because the Akkuyu NPP site is located nearby, just a 10-minute drive away. As a rule, hotels located on the coast work only during the tourist season, but due to Akkuyu NPP project we have the opportunity to work all year round. Even now, in December, our hotel is more than 50 percent full, and almost all of our guests are somehow connected with Akkuyu NPP. This allows us to hire qualified personnel on a full-time basis. I see Akkuyu NPP as a huge advantage and a great potential in terms of the development of the region.”
Throughout the day, AKKUYU NUCLEAR JSC information stand was open at the seminar venue, where participants of the seminar could get information about the status of Akkuyu NPP project implementation, as well as a photo exhibition dedicated to the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Turkey and life in various regions of Russia where nuclear power plants under operation are located. In addition to photographs taken at the Akkuyu NPP construction site at various stages of the project, the exhibition featured materials from Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation photo archive of the and the works of Turkish photographers who visited nuclear power plants in Russia.
AKKUYU NUCLEAR JSC in cooperation with Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation regularly conducts seminars in various formats for representatives of potential supplier companies in Turkey. Such seminars are aimed at clarifying procurement procedures made according to the requirements of Rosatom unified procurement system, as well as informing potential suppliers about procurement schedules for equipment, materials and services within Akkuyu NPP construction project.