Unit 2 reactor base completed on schedule
The 49,000-tonne base for the second reactor at Hinkley Point C has been completed on schedule – meeting a target date set more than four years ago.
The final concrete pour of 8,991m3 set a new UK record for a single, continuous pour. It surpasses by 37m3 the previous record during construction of the base for Hinkley Point C’s first unit in June 2019.
Completion of the second reactor base also benefited from experience gained on the first identical unit – which has led to significant increases in productivity through steps such as increased use of prefabrication. This will benefit the proposed follow-on project at Sizewell C in Suffolk.
Jetty keeps 10,000 trucks off the road
The jetty’s aggregate deliveries have hit 250,000 tonnes. The materials milestone means almost 10,000 lorries have been taken off the road in the nine months since the jetty became operational, helping to lower HPC’s carbon footprint and reduce traffic.
Work begins on the ‘MEH’ phase
The first pieces of equipment have been lifted into place in Unit 1’s nuclear island to mark the start of the Mechanical, Electrical and Heating and Ventilation (MEH) phase.
Five tanks have now been installed which will form part of the nuclear drainage and vent system when the power station is operational.
On the conventional island, the electrical building is progressing, with works continuing on the building’s two basement levels. When complete, the electrical building will be a five-storey, semi-buried concrete structure, with two floors below ground and three above. Located next to the turbine hall, the electrical building will house the electrical supply systems for the reactor.
Somerset Infrastructure Alliance celebrates a year of safe working
Somerset Infrastructure Alliance (SIA) marked 12 months since it recorded a lost-time injury (LTI) in April. SIA is responsible for the management of infrastructure at HPC, which includes road maintenance and construction, landscaping, traffic management and more.
During its four years on site, the team has grown from a handful of colleagues to more than 100.
Taken from The Point June 2020
