The world’s largest crane, Big Carl, has lifted into place the third and final liner ring at Hinkley Point C’s second reactor building.
The steel ring, which is 11.6m high and 47m in diameter, forms part of the inner containment wall of the reactor building. It will now be encased in two layers of concrete.
The liner ring was prefabricated in an onsite factory and features supporting brackets for the building’s polar crane beam, which will be used to install heavy equipment during construction, such as the reactor and steam generators.
This internal crane will rotate 360° above the reactor and be used for refuelling.
The first reactor building was capped with a dome last December and is ready for the reactor to be installed later this year.
Hinkley Point C is a two-unit, 3,200MWe EPR nuclear power station in Somerset. It is being built by the Bouygues and Laing O’Rourke joint venture (Bylor JV) for client EDF Energy.
Work is expected to be completed between 2029 and 2031.
