The 海角视频's nuclear watchdog has issued a warning to Hinkley Point C's main contractor over safety failings with cranes on the Bridgwater site.
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has served an improvement notice on NNB Generation Company (HPC) Ltd (NNB GenCo) relating to the monitoring and management of tower cranes.
The enforcement action relates to the failure of components on a crane, identified by an operator undertaking pre-use checks on site in February.
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According to the ONR, this consisted of a failure of a pin connecting two mast sections together and evidence of cracking within a mast section. The findings were reported under the reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations.
The issue was identified before there was any broader failure of the crane, so there were no injuries to any workers.
"Regulatory enquiries established a failure by NNB GenCo as the principal contractor to plan, manage and monitor the construction phase and coordinate health and safety requirements specifically in relation to the maintenance and condition of tower cranes," the ONR said in a statement.
The regulator said this was in contravention of the construction (design and management) regulations 2015. NNB GenCo must comply with the requirements of the improvement notice by June 30.
ONR Principal Inspector John McKenniff said: “While the observed damage did not result in any crane failure or collapse, this improvement notice was served to ensure that action is taken to prevent any similar occurrences in the future.
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“We will monitor the actions of NNB GenCo and will consider taking further action if additional shortfalls are identified.”
It was a conventional health and safety incident and not related to nuclear safety.
Hinkley Point C is expected to provide six million homes in the 海角视频 with low-carbon energy once complete. But the project, which is owned by French energy giant EDF, has been plagued with problems since construction began in 2016.
The scheme was originally estimated to cost £18bn to build, but has struggled with its schedule and last year EDF confirmed its .
In February, the much-delayed power station announced it was planning to create 3,000 jobs over the next 18 months.
In a recent socio-economic report, EDF said it had spent £5.3bn using South West companies to build the Somerset plant. As construction reaches its peak, some 15,000 workers are expected on site.
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