Big Carl lifts Hinkley Point C’s second nuclear reactor into place

Big Carl, the world’s largest crane, has lifted Hinkley Point C’s second nuclear reactor into place before its precision installation inside the reactor building. 

Using Big Carl to lift the 500-tonne cylinder was an innovation for Unit 2 and another example of the project finding ways to improve performance between Units 1 and 2. The first reactor was lifted using a large temporary overhead lifting system. The new method saves space, time and money.   

Once inside the reactor building, the 13-metre-long reactor pressure vessel was lifted and rotated into a vertical position by the large internal “polar” crane and lowered carefully onto a support ring with just 40mm clearance on either side.  The installation comes less than 12 months after the huge steel dome was lifted into place to close the second reactor building. 

Unit 2 is being built 20-30% more quickly than Unit 1, thanks to innovation and experience of building an identical design with the same teams. 

The Unit 2 reactor building is further ahead than at the same stage for Unit 1, with more equipment installed, as well as more structural steel work and the outer containment layer already in place.  For example, three large heat exchangers have been installed in Unit 2, compared with none at the same point on Unit 1. These advantages and innovations will benefit Sizewell C from the start.  

The reactor pressure vessel uses nuclear fission to make heat and steam for the world’s largest turbines, the Arabelle. 

Together, the two reactors will power 6 million homes around the clock with reliable, low carbon electricity, cutting the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuels