HPC team achieves another milestone after successful completion of dome lift

On Friday 15th December, the Hinkley Point C (HPC) team delivered one of the project’s most significant milestones to date as the Unit 1 dome was lifted onto the reactor building at the Hinkley Point C project, Somerset, England.

HPC’s heavy lift crane, ‘big Carl’, did the honours by lifting the 245-tonne Dome onto the top of the Reactor Building, successfully completing the job on Friday morning, landing the Dome on a set of hydraulic jacks. The HPC team had to ensure that there was a window of good weather to allow for this to be carried out, which took roughly five hours to complete. The installation of the dome is a moment that the whole team has been waiting for in 2023, and it closes the roof on the reactor building, allowing the pressure vessel to be installed this year.

Paudie Somers, Executive Vice President (nuclear oerations), said; “Congratulations to the entire HPC team on the completion of the dome lift on unit 1. This is another significant milestone in the construction of the HPC nuclear power plant and concludes a great year of progress. I am especially proud of the MEH team’s contribution to ensuring that the dome lift was achieved on schedule – I have no doubt this fantastic end to 2023 will inspire us to even greater achievements in 2024.”

Well done to all involved in this fantastic achievement!