France’s EDF supplying two EPR nuclear plants for UK facility
The third and final liner ring has been lifted into place by giant crane, Big Carl, at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station’s second reactor building.
Engineering teams were able to lift the 423-tonne steel liner ring into place on 14 October, EDF Energy said.
It is the third and final ring to be installed on the building, which will be home to one of Hinkley Point C’s two nuclear reactors. The steel ring, which is 11.6 metres in height and 47 metres in diameter, forms part of the inner containment wall of the reactor building and will now be encased in two layers of concrete.
The liner ring was prefabricated in a factory on site and also features supporting brackets for an internal crane will rotate 360 degrees above the reactor and be used for refuelling.
The reactor building now only has the “lid” to be placed on top, with the dome lift scheduled for next year.
The first reactor building was capped with its own dome last December and is ready for the reactor to be installed later this year.
France’s state-owned EDF, EDF Energy’s parent company, is providing two EPR nuclear plants for Hinkley Point C.
The project has been delayed until 2029 at the earliest, with the cost potentially increasing to as much as £46bn at today’s prices and EDF blaming Covid, Brexit and inflation.
When approval was first given in 2016 the cost was estimated at £18bn.
Under EDF’s latest scenario, one of the two planned units could be operational in 2029.
Once Hinkley Point C is complete, it is expected to generate enough electricity to supply some six million homes for 60 years.
The liner ring was prefabricated in a factory on site. Courtesy EDF.
