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| Reactor installed at UK's newest nuclear power station | Reactor installed at UK's newest nuclear power station |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| A 500-tonne steel vessel containing the nuclear reactor is lowered into position at Hinkley Point | A 500-tonne steel vessel containing the nuclear reactor is lowered into position at Hinkley Point |
| Workers have fitted a reactor into the first nuclear power station to be built in Britain for 30 years. | Workers have fitted a reactor into the first nuclear power station to be built in Britain for 30 years. |
| Hundreds of engineers and construction staff worked for several days to lift the 500-tonne steel equipment into place at Hinkley Point C, near Bridgwater, Somerset. | Hundreds of engineers and construction staff worked for several days to lift the 500-tonne steel equipment into place at Hinkley Point C, near Bridgwater, Somerset. |
| "It was a huge operation for all the teams involved," said Matt Abbott, who led the team installing it. "This is the heart of the plant." | "It was a huge operation for all the teams involved," said Matt Abbott, who led the team installing it. "This is the heart of the plant." |
| The 13m-long (42.6 ft) unit is one of two reactors which will contain the nuclear chain reaction that will generate enough power for six million homes, when it opens in 2030. | The 13m-long (42.6 ft) unit is one of two reactors which will contain the nuclear chain reaction that will generate enough power for six million homes, when it opens in 2030. |
| Matt Abbott led hundreds of construction workers who lifted the "heart of Hinkley" into place | Matt Abbott led hundreds of construction workers who lifted the "heart of Hinkley" into place |
| The giant steel cylinder was winched up the side of the reactor building in a 12-hour operation. | The giant steel cylinder was winched up the side of the reactor building in a 12-hour operation. |
| It then had to be manoevered along rails through a giant equipment hatch, rotated through 90 degrees and lowered carefully onto a prepared base. | It then had to be manoevered along rails through a giant equipment hatch, rotated through 90 degrees and lowered carefully onto a prepared base. |
| It will stay there for 60 years of nuclear operation, and decades beyond. | It will stay there for 60 years of nuclear operation, and decades beyond. |
| Energy Secretary Ed Miliband called it "a major step forward". | Energy Secretary Ed Miliband called it "a major step forward". |
| He said: “Getting Hinkley up and running to produce clean power for six million homes will be a win for our long-term energy independence." | He said: “Getting Hinkley up and running to produce clean power for six million homes will be a win for our long-term energy independence." |
| The 13-metre long cylinder was flipped in mid-air by a purpose-built crane, then lowered into position. | The 13-metre long cylinder was flipped in mid-air by a purpose-built crane, then lowered into position. |
| At least 12,000 people work there, alongside more than 100 cranes. The reactor will power 25m high steam generators, and drive turbines featuring the longest blades ever made. | At least 12,000 people work there, alongside more than 100 cranes. The reactor will power 25m high steam generators, and drive turbines featuring the longest blades ever made. |
| Yet the project has been delayed by political debates, the Covid pandemic and supply chain problems. | Yet the project has been delayed by political debates, the Covid pandemic and supply chain problems. |
| It is now due to open five years later than originally planned. The estimated cost has risen to £46bn from the £18bn predicted in 2017. | It is now due to open five years later than originally planned. The estimated cost has risen to £46bn from the £18bn predicted in 2017. |
| Nonetheless, installing the reactor is a significant milestone. | Nonetheless, installing the reactor is a significant milestone. |
| So how does it work, who made it, and when will they switch it on? | So how does it work, who made it, and when will they switch it on? |
| How does it work? | How does it work? |
| The reactor is known as "the heart of Hinkley". | The reactor is known as "the heart of Hinkley". |
| It will contain radioactive uranium split by nuclear fission, in a chain reaction which generates a lot of heat. | It will contain radioactive uranium split by nuclear fission, in a chain reaction which generates a lot of heat. |
| Temperatures inside will average 300C. Pressure will reach 155 bar, five times more than on a submarine at normal operating depth. | Temperatures inside will average 300C. Pressure will reach 155 bar, five times more than on a submarine at normal operating depth. |
| The steel vessel is 25cm thick, 13m (42.6 ft) long, and weighs 500 tonnes. | The steel vessel is 25cm thick, 13m (42.6 ft) long, and weighs 500 tonnes. |
| The reactor, shrouded in white, was winched up to a hatch on the building which will house it for more than sixty years | The reactor, shrouded in white, was winched up to a hatch on the building which will house it for more than sixty years |
| A closed loop of pressurised water will pass round the reactor, and heat up. | A closed loop of pressurised water will pass round the reactor, and heat up. |
| This heat will then be exchanged with a second loop of water, which turns into steam. The steam will drive turbines which generate Hinkley's electricity. | This heat will then be exchanged with a second loop of water, which turns into steam. The steam will drive turbines which generate Hinkley's electricity. |
| Mr Abbott said: ''We’ve got two of these reactors, and each should power about three million homes. So it’s a massive deal and this is now the start of that journey for us." | Mr Abbott said: ''We’ve got two of these reactors, and each should power about three million homes. So it’s a massive deal and this is now the start of that journey for us." |
| Who made it? | Who made it? |
| The reactor took six years to manufacture and was made in France by a company called Framatome, which is owned by EDF, who are building Hinkley Point C. | The reactor took six years to manufacture and was made in France by a company called Framatome, which is owned by EDF, who are building Hinkley Point C. |
| EDF is owned by the French state. | EDF is owned by the French state. |
| Creating the reactor was a matter of "immense pride" for Framatome employees, according to Mathieu Gaulthier, who leads the company's team in Somerset. | Creating the reactor was a matter of "immense pride" for Framatome employees, according to Mathieu Gaulthier, who leads the company's team in Somerset. |
| But why did such a central component of Britain's first new nuclear power plant for a generation have to be made abroad? | But why did such a central component of Britain's first new nuclear power plant for a generation have to be made abroad? |
| Jennifer Tompkins, an apprentice welder at Framatome UK in Avonmouth, operates a high-tech semi-automated welding machine | Jennifer Tompkins, an apprentice welder at Framatome UK in Avonmouth, operates a high-tech semi-automated welding machine |
| “The last nuclear reactor that was built was finished in 1991," Ian Henderson, head of Framatome UK. | |
| "In that time that skill base has disappeared." | "In that time that skill base has disappeared." |
| The firm is now trying to change that. | The firm is now trying to change that. |
| At a brand new factory in Avonmouth, near Bristol, they are training high-level welders and fitters to the exacting standards of the nuclear industry. | At a brand new factory in Avonmouth, near Bristol, they are training high-level welders and fitters to the exacting standards of the nuclear industry. |
| For Hinkley C, they are fabricating tanks and other structures. But on future nuclear projects, they hope to take on more sophisticated jobs. | For Hinkley C, they are fabricating tanks and other structures. But on future nuclear projects, they hope to take on more sophisticated jobs. |
| Mr Henderson explained: "It's taken quite a few years to build those skills up to where they are today, and we want to keep that going, keep investing.” | Mr Henderson explained: "It's taken quite a few years to build those skills up to where they are today, and we want to keep that going, keep investing.” |
| When will they switch it on? | When will they switch it on? |
| In 2007 EDF's French leader Vincent de Rivaz predicted Britons would be cooking their Christmas turkeys on Hinkley power 10 years later. | In 2007 EDF's French leader Vincent de Rivaz predicted Britons would be cooking their Christmas turkeys on Hinkley power 10 years later. |
| In fact, 2017 was the year M. de Rivaz left EDF. In Somerset, work had only just begun. | In fact, 2017 was the year M. de Rivaz left EDF. In Somerset, work had only just begun. |
| Engineers use the largest land-based crane in the world to lift the dome roof onto the reactor building in December 2023 | Engineers use the largest land-based crane in the world to lift the dome roof onto the reactor building in December 2023 |
| As the first concrete was poured, the company said they would switch it on by 2025. | As the first concrete was poured, the company said they would switch it on by 2025. |
| But that was followed by global pandemic, a war in Ukraine and disruption to global supply chains. | But that was followed by global pandemic, a war in Ukraine and disruption to global supply chains. |
| Now, the company expects to begin power generation by "the end of the decade". | Now, the company expects to begin power generation by "the end of the decade". |
| Getting the nuclear reactor into position represents a big milestone passed. | Getting the nuclear reactor into position represents a big milestone passed. |
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