Big day for Big Carl and big plans for UK nuclear

The UK energy news in the last few weeks has been all about nuclear milestones and announcements.

Last week at Hinkley Point C in Somerset we watched Big Carl, the world’s largest land crane, lift a 245-tonne dome from the factory bunker onto the roof of the power station’s second reactor building. The project was able to build Unit 2 20-30% more quickly than Unit 1, thanks to the team incorporating all the learnings and efficiencies gained from constructing Unit 1.

We have been working with Hinkley Point C for almost a decade and a half, and very proud to have them as a client. So to watch the 14-metre-tall Unit 2 Dome being lifted on to the 44-metre-high reactor building was very significant not just for the future of UK energy supply, but also for all of us in the SEC Newgate UK team who have supported the project from the earliest stages to today. 

Then just days later, Hinkley Point C installed the first 520-tonne steam generator into the first reactor building. Described by the project as a ‘huge nuclear-powered kettle’ – the generator is the first of eight steam generators to be installed – the steam will then spin the world’s largest turbines - the Arabelle, which will generate low-carbon, reliable energy for 6-million homes, providing around 10% of the country’s electricity.

The carefully planned installation saw the steam generator brought into the reactor building on rails, then lifted and rotated precisely into place, where it will stay for at least 60 years of generation.

During the summer, three more steam generators will be installed surrounding the reactor pressure vessel.  Work to connect the reactor is already underway as the fit out of the power station gathers pace with the installation of miles of pipe, cabling and equipment.

And just for good measure to complete a Hinkley Point hat trick, the day before Dome Lift, Big Carl lowered another crane, known as a Polar Crane into place into Unit 2. This internal crane will rotate 360°, handling heavy components during the plant’s construction and during operation, including the reactor and steam generators.

Meanwhile over on the east coast, Sizewell C, Hinkley Point C’s younger cousin secured its Final Investment Decision (FID) from government, having recently committed an additional £14bn to the project, giving the long-awaited green light to the nuclear plant. 

The announcement confirmed that the government, aka the British people, will take an initial 44.9 per cent stake in the project, becoming the single biggest equity shareholder. The others being La Caisse (20%), Centrica (15%), Amber Infrastructure (7.6%) and EDF with 12.5 per cent, which was announced earlier in July.

Sizewell C’s design is a replica of Hinkley Point C, so will provide a further 10% of the country’s energy / powering a further 6-million homes. The project is already benefiting from Hinkley Point C’s experience, with project learnings and efficiencies being applied across the board, albeit in a Suffolk specific context outside the construction site footprint. 

Many of the staff involved in the earlier construction stages of Hinkley Point C are now working on Sizewell, including in site operations, planning, environment, skills and learning and supply chain teams. And in Nigel Cann, Sizewell has a  Joint Managing Director who made the shift from west to east too.

In the same vein, last year, we were delighted to provide comprehensive support for Sizewell C in establishing their formal community engagement after the Development Consent Order (DCO) was granted, within which community engagement is a key requirement. With tight deadlines to meet and a busy calendar of engagement, we were able to bring our Hinkley Point C experience to bear, mobilising quickly and supporting the delivery of these vital community touchpoints and help set the project on the right course in relation to stakeholder engagement. So again, we were very happy to see Government announce this investment in Sizewell ahead of the House of Commons recess.

So what next for British nuclear? Well, all eyes are now firmly on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). In reality, they’re not that small as in megawatt terms an SMR would be about the size of the now decommissioned Hinkley Point A.

Back in June, Rolls-Royce SMR was confirmed as the preferred bidder as part of the government’s (Great British Nuclear) Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) competition to build three SMR units in the UK. 

On the question of where, it is looking highly likely that one of the first strategic sites will be Oldbury in Gloucestershire or Wylfa in Wales. These locations have a history of nuclear power generation, with plants in both places currently undergoing decommissioning. 

But what about future locations without a nuclear generation legacy? Given what we already know about engagement with residents, communities and stakeholders who are used to living near nuclear plants, or large construction sites, any sites under potential consideration for an SMR will require a very long lead-in time, starting squarely with community engagement, if the UK’s nuclear generation and energy security ambitions are to be fully realised. 

Links to media: 

Unit 2 Dome Lift: https://www.youtube.com/live/GT-nRChS-Gw
Hinkley Point C first giant “steam generator” lowered into place: https://youtu.be/buVUsWZZUDE 
Polar Crane Installed in Unit 2: https://youtu.be/TtkgtALwOcQ