Hinkley Point C’s first reactor dome lifted into place

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It closes the roof on the first reactor building, allowing the first nuclear reactor at the Somerset power station to be installed next year.

Hinkley Point C’s two nuclear reactors will provide reliable zero-carbon electricity for 6M homes, boosting Britain’s energy security for decades to come.

Engineering teams lifted the 245t steel dome precisely into place on top of the reactor building on Friday, with the 14m-tall dome sitting on top of the 44m-high reactor building.

The lift was carefully planned to take advantage of a weather window to allow the hour-and-a-half long manoeuvre to be completed in low wind conditions.

The dome is the top part of the reactor building’s inner containment – a steel cylinder encased in concrete. Measuring 47m in diameter, it is wider than the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral. It is made up of 38 prefabricated panels which were shipped to Hinkley Point C and welded together in an onsite factory.  Prefabrication and modular construction are key features of Hinkley Point C’s construction.

Earlier this month, the 750t Polar Crane was lifted into place in a single piece above the reactor building’s third – and final – steel liner ring. This internal crane will rotate 360° above the reactor and be used for refuelling and installing equipment.

During the summer, Hinkley Point C nuclear island area director Simon Parsons explained the other work that has taken place inside the first reactor building before the dome lift.

Following the latest milestone, Parsons said: “Building the first nuclear power station in a generation is a challenging job and the success of this complex operation is due to the determination and commitment of our fantastic teams.

“Lifting the dome allows us to get on with the fitting of equipment, pipes and cables, including the first reactor which is on site and ready to be installed next year.”

Nuclear minister Andrew Bowie added: “This is a major milestone in building Britain’s first nuclear reactor in a generation, and a key part of the UK Government’s plans to revitalise nuclear.

“Generating enough zero-carbon power for six million homes, Hinkley Point C will reduce our reliance on imported energy and support our shift to net zero.”

Hinkley Point C is being delivered by the MEH Alliance, a joing venture featuring contractors Altrad, Balfour Beatty Bailey, Cavendish Nuclear and Doosan Babcock.

The Hinkley Point C project has faced delay challenges. In January 2021, EDF announced that the completion date would be pushed back to June 2026 due to delays arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last year, the company then confirmed that there would be a further year-long delay and £3bn cost increase. This put the start date for the Unit 1 reactor at June 2027, with the cost sitting at £25bn to £26bn, an increase on the previous £23bn figure.

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