‘Big Carl’ aids construction of power station
LATEST IMAGES from the new Hinkley Point C nuclear power station show plenty of progress since the first reactor’s base was completed last year.
The multi-billion pound project is now focused on completing the base of the second reactor this year, at the site in Bridgwater, Somerset.
Around 5,000 workers are busy each day keeping the project on target for producing power by 2025, according to operator EDF Energy.
The power station will supply seven per cent of the UK’s electricity needs from the mid2020s.
Full construction at Hinkley Point C got under way after EDF, its Chinese partner CGN and the Government signed final contracts in 2016.
Alongside building the first reactor, the project reached a number of other major milestones last year.
Construction of the 760-metre sea wall was completed, and the world’s largest crane, nicknamed Big Carl, completed its first large lift on-site in December.
It is 250 metres high and is capable of lifting 5,000 tonnes.
Some 6.6 million cubic metres of earth have been excavated for the project, and 500,000 cubic metres of concrete have been poured. In September, EDF revealed that the new nuclear plant will cost up to £2.9bn more than thought.
It raised its estimate for the project to between £21.5bn and £22.5bn, blaming “challenging ground conditions”.
It also said the risk of the project being 15 months late had risen.
Because of the way that the project is being funded, taxpayers and customers will not foot the bill for the increase in costs – EDF and CGN will cover the increase.
However, the companies should be cushioned by a comparatively high fixed price for electricity for customers, which was agreed in order to make costs predictable for consumers and to provide leeway for the builders