EDF Energy has managed to erect a 245-ton dome on a reactor building at Hinkley Point C in Somerset with the help of the largest construction crane in the world, the SGC-250, nicknamed Big Carl. This significant milestone is one step forward in the first new nuclear power plant in the UK in more than 30 years.
The Hinkley Point C plant will have two reactors, and when it goes online, it will supply zero-carbon electricity to over six million households. The dome for Unit 2 is 14 meters tall, made with 900 welds, and brings the building’s total height to 44 meters. The prefabrication allowed engineers to speed up the building process and reduce costs, and Unit 2 was built based on the experience gained during the construction of Unit 1.
The plant will open in 2031, although it was delayed, primarily because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project’s total cost is estimated at £26 billion (approximately $33 billion).
Stuart Crooks, the CEO of Hinkley Point C, emphasized the advantages of reusing reactor designs: “The repeat and build approach is the most effective way to build new nuclear, already saving 20-30 percent in time.”
According to the UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks, the project is of national significance: Hinkley Point C will provide clean, homegrown nuclear power, bring quality jobs, and ensure energy security.
The dome lift was enabled by a huge 250-meter-high crane, Big Carl, capable of lifting 5,000 tons. Constructed by Sarens, Big Carl runs on 96 wheels, 12 engines, and 52 containers of counterweight of 100 tons each. It is able to move over 6 kilometers of track to conduct high-precision lifts.
This milestone is a significant breakthrough in UK nuclear power and the low-carbon transition.
