The past 12 months have been monumental for the energy sector. Britain hosted the COP26 conference, highlighting the need for the world to get serious about climate change.
Central to the discussions was the need for us to stop using high-polluting energy sources, such as coal and gas.
It has become clear that nuclear is a crucial part of the Ƶ’s future energy mix, along with wind and solar.
Britain has set ambitious targets to hit net-zero carbon emissions and Hinkley Point C will play a critical role. Every year, it will offset nine million tonnes of C02 emissions – that’s the same as taking nearly four million cars off the road.
The energy crisis has given our project a further sense of urgency.
Gas prices are hitting record highs, due to global shortages and unprecedented demand.
Businesses, as well as domestic consumers, are at the sharp end of it – with expensive bills landing on desks across the region. This turbulence has highlighted the shortfalls of the Ƶ’s addiction to gas. This is where Hinkley Point C comes in again. It will step up to plug the gap – meeting 7 per cent of the country’s demand.
For many businesses, the energy crisis has collided with the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
There have been global labour shortages and supply bottlenecks. At Hinkley Point C, we managed this by diverting resources to the areas most critical to the project. This has allowed us to maintain momentum, finishing the year on a high.
In December, with the help of Big Carl, the world’s largest land-based crane, we lifted a 254-tonne steel ring onto one of the reactor buildings. We managed to improve in efficiency, with this ring being built 25% faster than the previous.
Like other regional employers, we have acted quickly in response to the omicron variant.
As always, we are prioritising the safety of the surrounding community and our workforce. We have brought in new measures to manage our site safely and efficiently.
People who work on site are now declaring their vaccine status, or taking regular tests. This has ensured construction can continue, putting us on track for another successful year.
This year will see some enormous pieces of kit arriving on site - including six 5,000 tonne concrete structures, which will be used in our water-cooling systems. This will be a huge logistical operation, as they travel across the Bristol Channel from Avonmouth. Much of this equipment is being made off site, across the Ƶ and overseas. Thousands of people around the world are working hard to bring these vital components together for us.
We are now half-way through the project, and the countdown is on to becoming fully operational. We are getting people ready to work in the power station when it’s switched on. This year, we’re opening a new training centre, which will feature a replica simulator of the main control room. This will be where our future operators will be taught the complicated processes involved in running the plant.
Hinkley Point C is a training ground for future talent, and 2022 is a significant year in our mission. Later this year, we will hit our milestone of creating 1,000 apprenticeships. This has opened jobs to local people who have never worked in construction before.
This year, the government will continue negotiations for a new nuclear power station in Suffolk Sizewell C.
Hinkley Point C is being used as the blueprint for the new site, which is a huge vote of confidence in what we’re doing in Somerset. As we are already demonstrating, it will create thousands of jobs, and contribute billions to the local economy.
Like Hinkley Point C, it will be crucial in helping Britain kick its dependency on high-polluting fossil fuels. Together, both power stations will help protect the Ƶ’s energy supply and the future of our planet.
The key to net zero
Hinkley Point C is making history. It is the first nuclear power station to be built in the Ƶ in more than 20 years, marking the revitalisation of the industry.
The power station will be essential in helping Britain reduce its carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050. Alongside wind and solar power, it’ll help the country wean itself off high-polluting energy sources, such as coal and gas.
During its 60-year lifespan, Hinkley Point C will generate enough reliable, low-carbon electricity to power around 6 million homes. The electricity generated by its two reactors will offset 9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year, or 600 million tonnes.
Every available energy technology creates some carbon emissions over their lifetime from construction through to operations. However, studies have confirmed that the total amount of carbon dioxide released as a result of Hinkley Point C is even less than wind and solar.
Sustainability is a key part of the construction project itself. We are using new techniques and innovations – such as using solar and hybrid tower lights, instead of ones powered by diesel. In addition, 99% of the steel reinforcement used at Hinkley Point C is recycled. We’ve also planted thousands of trees, donated £540,000 to local environmental causes, and our team of specialists are creating new wildlife habitats.
Changing lives
Mike Morgan Electrical Services, an electrical installation company based in Bridgwater, has been awarded a multi-million pound contract to work at Hinkley Point C. It operates on-site as part of an alliance with two other regional businesses, Wessex Water and Hydroline Solutions, to provide important utility services.
The company’s ethos is ‘local first’, prioritising businesses and people who are based nearby. The firm’s involvement in Hinkley Point C’s construction has also enabled them to expand rapidly – taking on more workers and apprentices. Funding from the project is being spent on their development, through training at local colleges.
These opportunities have helped their employees climb the ladder within the company. For many, this has allowed them to buy their first home locally. Involvement in Hinkley Point C’s supply chain can really improve employees’ lives for the better.
The company’s managing director, Mike Morgan, said: “Hinkley Point C has really established us as a company. We’ve grown by 70% a year for the past three years and plan to grow by 20% year on year for the next three. Our turnover has increased six-fold and we’ve gone from 12 to 68 people. This has allowed us to provide a great place for apprentices to learn their trade.”
Investing in the region
EDF is building more than just a power station. It is pumping billions into the local economy – with businesses across the South West reaping the benefits.
Hinkley Point C’s supply team is awarding contracts to local firms for everything from the supply of materials, to the providing of services on site. So far, partnerships have been made with more than 3,600 regional businesses, with a combined value of more than £4 billion. The total number of direct and indirect jobs supported by the project across the Ƶ currently stands at 22,000.
It isn’t stopping there. There are still many opportunities to get involved with Hinkley Point C. For more information, please contact info@hinkleysupplychain.co.uk.
