Nicola and Jenny honoured at European awards ceremony

Two EDF Energy employees have been honoured at the prestigious European Women in Construction and Engineering Awards, with Hinkley Point C’s Nicola Fauvel being named as the 2016 Best Woman Electrical and Mechanical Engineer.

Nicola (pictured above), who is one of the project’s nuclear island delivery managers, beat four other finalists in her category to win the title.

Jenny Costley, EDF Energy’s construction delivery lead, was a finalist in the Best Woman Civil Engineer section.

Both women had to undergo a vigorous judging process at the finalists’ ceremony held at London’s Waldorf Hilton.

They had to give a presentation, answer questions and convince the 48 judges to give them top marks.

The women with the most points in each section were named as the winners, with each being presented with a trophy as well as a double-page feature in the awards’ dedicated magazine.

Nicola, who has a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering, said: “To be selected as a winner among people I look up to is one of the highest accolades I could aspire to achieving.

“I still wonder how it is possible to get a prize for getting on with a job that I love and have wanted to do since I was 12!”

Married with two children, Nicola, 40, who lives in Bridgwater also promotes STEM (science, technology and maths) subjects by giving talks to schoolchildren and young women.

“There is such a myth about construction and engineering not being for women. I am determined that by going into schools I can show that it really is a myth and that projects like HPC offer women really interesting, rewarding and well paid careers,” she said.

Nicola began her role with EDF Energy at Torness nuclear power station as a systems engineer before moving across the Channel ten years later to work in EDF’s engineering design centre in Paris.

From there she headed to the new-build power station at Flamanville before returning to the UK to work on the Hinkley Point C project.

David Speight, Head of Civil Construction who nominated Nicola for the award, said: “Nicola really deserves this award. She has a huge infectious energy and brings out the best from any team she works with.

“She also has an immense capacity for knowledge of complex systems across the whole power plant.”

Although Jenny was pipped at the post for an award, she still beat scores of other nominees to secure a place in the final.

“I am lucky to have found a career I love and hope to inspire others to join this industry,” Jenny said.