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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
National
JJ Donoghue

Hinkley Point C doubles in height thanks to 'world's biggest crane'

The first reactor building at Hinkley Point C has doubled in height thanks to the "world's biggest crane".

The structure at the nuclear power plant in Somerset became 17 metres taller today (March 7), "changing the skyline at the site" according to Hinkley Point C. The reactor building now stands at more than 32 metres tall after a 347-tonne liner steel ring was lifted onto it overnight.

A spokesperson for the nuclear power station said: "Hinkley Point C’s first reactor building is 17-metres taller today, thanks to the world’s biggest crane, Big Carl. A 347-tonne liner steel ring was lifted onto Unit 1 overnight.

Read more: EDF's Hinkley Point C sediment dumping plans face legal challenge

"The reactor building now stands at more than 32 metres tall, changing the skyline at the site. The lift demonstrates the remarkable momentum being made on the project, which is one of Britain's biggest projects in the fight against climate change."

A legal challenge was recently launched against plans to dump hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sediment from Hinkley Point into the Bristol Channel at Portishead. Environmental groups say that the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) unlawfully varied EDF Energy’s licence to deposit dredged material at the Severn Estuary Marine Protection Area after plans were approved in August 2021.

Read more: Bristol student's 'plogging' adventure from India to UK

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