| Work Detail |
The implementation of the last phase of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project in the UK is set to begin. Two large jack-up vessels have already arrived at the projects site in Somerset to help install six vertical shafts into the seabed of the Bristol Channel. The vessels are Deme Group’s 132m long Sea Challenger and the 60m long Neptune vessel. They are equipped with cranes on their platforms and stand on four “legs” that elevate them above sea level. The works will be carried out by the project’s main contractor Balfour Beatty and marine construction specialist New Waves Solutions. Significance of this phase of the project The shafts are key components of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant’s cooling water system. They will reportedly be drilled to a depth of more than 20m and they will connect the project’s three cooling water tunnels with the seabed. The tunnels, the construction of which was completed in August of last year, include two 3.5km intake and one 1.8km discharge tunnel. The two intake tunnels will supply the two reactors at Hinkley Point C with cooling water. The discharge tunnel on the other hand will discharge it back into the Bristol Channel. Once the installation of the shafts is complete, the project team will excavate a horizontal connection between the bottom of the shaft and the tunnel. This will be the first link between the tunnels and the intake and discharge heads. The six 5,000t heads were lowered onto the seabed last summer. They will cap the tunnels and help with the supply of cooling water. Changes to cost and implementation of the project Due to inflationary pressures, the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project could cost up to £33bn to complete. This is 2% more than the last budget estimate according to Électricité de France S.A. (EDF). The French multinational electric utility company, however, is still targeting a 2027 start date for the plant’s first two units. Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project overview Hinkley Point C is a 3,260MW nuclear power plant under construction in Somerset, South West England, UK. It is the first new nuclear power facility to be built in the UK since 1995 or rather in more than 20 years. The project is expected to power over 6 million homes. It will also create 25,000 employment opportunities and more than 1,000 apprenticeships. Hinkley Point C is projected to have lasting benefits for the UK economy. The nuclear plant will sit on a 175-ha site on Somerset’s north coast on Bridgwater bay. It will be adjacent to the existing Hinkley Point A and B nuclear power plants. Before Hinkley Point C, the 500MW Hinkley Point A was commissioned in 1965. The facility was decommissioned in 2000. It was followed by the 965MW Hinkley Point B which was commissioned in 1979. This is expected to be decommissioned in 2023. The Hinkley Point C will be equipped with two reactors and is estimated to cost $28 billion. The construction of the project was launched in 2017 after being approved by the UK government in September 2016. The UK government is making a lot of investments as it seeks to revitalize its nuclear power industry. The Hinkley Point C is expected to make significant moves toward the reduction of carbon emissions. The power from the nuclear plant is expected to offset 9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year. This will be equal to 600 million tonnes over its 60-year lifespan. Financing for Hinkley Point C EDF and CGNP will fully finance the Hinkley Point C nuclear power project. The total cost of the project as of 2016 was expected to amount to $59.8 billion. This cost was inclusive of construction, nuclear waste management, operation, and decommissioning costs. In September 2015, the UK government promised a $2.6 billion debt guarantee for the project. In October 2015, China General Nuclear Power (CGNP) agreed to invest $7.89 billion in the project. The Hinkley Point C nuclear power project is also guaranteed a strike price of around $156 for every megawatt-hour (MWh) according to 2012 prices. This pricing will apply to power produced for a period of 35 years and is part of the deal finalized by the UK government in September 2016. World’s biggest crane deployed for Hinkley Point C construction The Big Carl (SGC-250) has been installed on-site for the construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power project. Big Carl is a 250m-tall and 5,000t capacity super heavy lift ring crane that has 96 individual wheels on 6km of rails. The crane was installed on the site in September 2016. The crane was designed and operated by Sarens, a Belgian crane rental company. |
