First nuclear reactor installed at Hinkley Point C

EDF has announced that the first new reactor has been installed at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.

It's the first of two 13m long reactor pressure vessels destined for the power plant and the first reactor to be installed in Britain since Sizewell B’s in 1991.

The RPVs are 500-tonne steel containers that hold nuclear fuel used to make heat to produce steam for the turbine.

The RPV was manufactured by Framatome in France and arrived at Hinkley Point C in February 2023.

EDF describes the installation of the Hinkley Point C reactor as a "precision operation," with the RPV being lifted onto rails and inserted through a 19.5m-high equipment hatch. Once inserted, it's rotated by the internal polar crane and lowered onto a support ring with just 40mm clearance on either side.

This milestone comes less than 12 months after the steel dome was lifted in place to close the reactor building. Next year, four 25m-high steam generators will be fitted around the reactor.

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Stuart Crooks, Hinkley Point C managing director, commented on the milestone: "This is an important moment, not just for the team at Hinkley Point C, but also for everyone who wants to see the UK deliver energy security...We are working hard to play our part and using the experience gained delivering the first reactor to drive efficiencies in building our second one. That experience will also benefit follow-on projects, such as Sizewell C, as well as boosting jobs and skills for the UK's growth agenda."

Once operational, the power station will provide enough reliable low-carbon electricity to power 6 million homes.