Eighty students and teachers from Danesfield School in Williton, Somerset, had the ‘Hinkley Point Experience’ earlier this month courtesy of energy company EDF Energy (17 January).
The Hinkley Point Experience is made up of two parts - a guided tour of EDF Energy’s Hinkley Point B power station, followed by a presentation from one of the current apprentices on energy production and future career opportunities.
Students got to see the pile cap area where the reactors sit, the turbine hall and control room simulator where the reactor desk engineers are trained. The visit also gave students and teachers the opportunity to look at the proposed Hinkley Point C site and see for themselves the scale of the project ahead.
Lorraine Mather, EDF Energy’s Local Education Co-ordinator, said: “This activity is part of the Inspire education programme which is designed to inspire and encourage young people to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects and follow careers in these subject areas. It’s really rewarding to see science brought to life in front of the students.”
Ian Bradbury, Danesfield School’s Head Teacher said: "As a Science Specialist school, it is vital to connect with major companies in the area with Science at their core."
The visit was enjoyed by all the students, as Jack Perkins, 12, said: "It was a very good trip because we were shown how a nuclear power station works in a way we can only see in pictures at school."
Teacher, Ann Hutchinson, added: "It is essential for the pupils to see how electricity is produced at Hinkley Point and to understand the wide variety of career options it offers."
ENDS
For more information contact Gordon Bell in the EDF Energy press office on 01278 654535.
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Notes to editors
EDF Energy
EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies and the largest producer of low-carbon electricity, producing around one-sixth of the nation's electricity from its nuclear power stations, wind farms, coal and gas power stations and combined heat and power plants. The company supplies gas and electricity to more than 5.5 million business and residential customer accounts and is the biggest supplier of electricity by volume in Great Britain.
EDF Energy’s safe and secure operation of its eight existing nuclear power stations at sites across the country makes it the UK’s largest generator of low carbon electricity. EDF Energy is also leading the UK's nuclear renaissance and has published plans to build four new nuclear plants, subject to the right investment framework. These new plants could generate enough low carbon electricity for about 40% of Britain’s homes. They would make an important contribution to the UK’s future needs for clean, secure and affordable energy. The project is already creating business and job opportunities for British companies and workers.
In its nuclear activities EDF Energy has partnered with Centrica, which has a 20% stake in the company’s eight existing plants and in the project carrying out pre-development work for new build. Centrica also has the option to take up to 20% stakes in each of the four planned plants.
Through Our Sustainability Commitments, EDF Energy has launched one of the biggest environmental and social programmes of any British energy company and the company has since been awarded the highest ranking of Platinum Plus in Business in the Community’s 2011 Corporate Responsibility Index, the UK’s leading voluntary benchmark of corporate responsibility.
EDF is the official electricity supplier and a sustainability partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.The company is also helping its customers and others use energy more sustainably through products and initiatives such as Team Green Britain, smart meters and electric vehicle research.
EDF Energy is part of EDF Group, one of Europe’s largest power companies. The company employs around 15,000 people at locations across the UK.
For more news from EDF Energy please see www.edfenergy.com/media-centre/. To find out more about the UK's energy challenges look at www.edfenergy.com/energyfuture/