The area delivery lead for project wide infrastructure at EDF on how he manages his job at Hinkley Point C
What does your job involve? Is there a typical day?
Hinkley Point C has many construction interfaces and work streams within the curtilage of the site which require construction management. My typical day involves managing the delivery of all scope of works outside of the Nuclear Island, Conventional Island and Heat Sink Areas.
These include the construction of the roads and networks, the delivery of the construction electrical systems and the development and construction of the IT&T networks.
We have completed some major milestones this year, two of which are a 500m jetty to enable the reduction of transportation to bring aggregate to site, which will benefit the local communities, and the major transport hub known as the North Plaza, which will enable people to be brought by bus into the centre of site and onto their workplace quickly.
“Key skills required to work in the nuclear industry, and here on site, are a good knowledge of working within a regulatory environment, having experience associated with multi-disciplined mega projects.”
Nick Horner, EDF
At present we have thousands of people that need to be transported to site – this facility will help drive efficiency into the project.
A nuclear power station isn’t run of the mill. Do you need special skills/knowledge?
Construction of the first nuclear facility in a generation spans over a number of years but four main phases exist on the journey. Each demands diverse skill sets and disciplines. The four main phases are enabling, civils, mechanical and electrical, and finally commissioning.
Many of the phases see new team members arrive and some leave as the project progresses – this is natural progression due to requiring a wide-ranging knowledge base associated to each phase. You will play an important part on the journey to completing the best project being undertaken in the UK at present.
Key skills required to work in the nuclear industry, and here on site, are a good knowledge of working within a regulatory environment, having experience associated with multi-disciplined mega projects – which I have gained over the years in the industry. Communication skills are important, with a collaborative attitude, and that you put safety and quality first and foremost in everything you do.
What are the most challenging and rewarding aspects of your job?
Coordinating the many interfaces between the multiple work fronts is the most challenging aspect of my role. Coordination ensures that each contractor can deliver against their milestone dates and that they are not affected by work undertaken by the other contractors.
Efficiency of moving large numbers of people around site in the quickest time is imperative to delivering this project. The construction of the road network allows that efficiency to be realised, but by doing so we impact a number of work fronts. It’s a challenge maintaining access to the various platforms but the teams do a fantastic job working with the contractors to reduce and minimise this impact.
The most rewarding aspect of my job is the team I am privileged to manage, who are a true set of professionals and safeguard our excellent safety, quality and environmental standards.
