Big Carl lifts the final ring at Hinkley Point + video

How about that for a rigging job. Big Carl lowering the 423 tonne load into the reactor building. Photo: Hinkley Point C/EDF Energy

A 5,000 tonne capacity crane from Sarens was used to lift into place a 423 tonne steel ring at the UK’s Hinkley Point C nuclear power station construction project.

Lifted on 14 October by the SGC-250 super heavy lift ring crane known as Big Carl, it is the third and final steel liner element on the site’s second reactor building. The steel ring is 47 metres in diameter and 11.6 metres tall. It forms part of the inner containment wall and will be encased in two layers of concrete.

Building efficiency

The Sarens SGC-250 has a capacity of 5,000 tonnes. Photo: Hinkley Point C/EDF Energy

As the top of the three rings this last one also includes mountings for the rotating polar crane to be installed on top. The polar crane is used when refuelling the reactor.

The steel dome over the building will be installed in 2025. This was done on the first reactor building in December 2023 and it is now ready for the reactor to be installed. Having learned from building the first reactor building, the second one has achieved efficiencies in its construction of between 20 and 30 per cent, according to an Hinkley Point C spokesperson.

Watch a video of the project.