Pembroke Dock-based Ledwood Engineering has won a major £50m contract with GE Steam Power at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power, safeguarding 150 jobs. The independent engineering, fabrication and construction firm secured a 42-month contract for the ‘Hinkley Point C Mechanical Equipment Erection Works’ within the turbine buildings.
Each building consists of 38 packages of equipment ranging from small 2Te pumps to a 2,440Te condenser. Ledwood will be installing 12,750Te of equipment as part of GE’s work supplying two conventional power islands for Hinkley Point C, which include the Arabelle steam turbine.
Already the largest steam turbine in operation for the past 10 years, the Arabelle steam turbine produces 2% more power output than a traditional configuration and has a 99.96% rate of reliability. The Arabelle turbines at Hinkley Point C will be the largest ever built - longer than an Airbus 380 - and capable of producing 1,770 MW each.
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When complete, Hinkley Point C is expected to deliver 7% of the Ƶ’s CO2-free energy for the next 60 years. The plant is projected to deliver 3.2+ GW to the grid - enough for 6 million homes and efficient enough to avoid 9 million tons of CO2 emissions a year.
Heinrich-Francois Laage of GE Steam Power said: “Additional power to supply and secure the Ƶ’s grid is now crucial. Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant is part of the solution to create carbon-free energy. We’re installing the largest nuclear steam turbines ever made so we need the support of our supply chain partners to deliver on time and on budget. Ledwood’s work for us over recent years demonstrates a clear track record of delivering projects on time, to budget and with an exceptional commitment to safety.”
Ledwood managing director Nick Revell said: “As we approach our 40th anniversary in 2023, this is a fantastic contract win for our business, creating jobs in Somerset and helping to secure a sustainable future for the wider team here in Pembroke. The contract is testament to the quality of work that our team has delivered for GE and it puts us in a strong position to deliver further growth as we expand our customer portfolio across the global energy industry.”
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Colin Ferguson, project director for Ledwood, said: “We’ve been working at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station site since 2016 when we were awarded the contract to fabricate the jetty modules. We’ve since assembled silos, welded tanks and supplied, fabricated and installed embedded ducting and pipework. We’ve also carried out installation works in the main turbine building.
Mr Ferguson added: "We’ll continue to focus on the integration of the nuclear safety culture and promote our own values of honesty, integrity, people and the environment. We’ll also share learnings throughout the business to ensure that we deliver the project in a safe manner where quality is at the forefront.”
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