A DOME wider than that of St Paul’s Cathedral has been lifted by the world’s largest crane onto the first of two reactor buildings on the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station site.

The major engineering milestone closed the roof of the building and will allow Hinkley C’s first nuclear reactor to be installed next year.

Hinkley’s two reactors will provide reliable zero-carbon electricity for six million homes, boosting Britain’s energy security for decades to come. 

Engineering teams lifted the 245-tonne steel dome precisely into place on top of the reactor building early on Friday (December 15).

The achievement ends the year on a high as the 46 feet high dome sits on top of the 144 feet tall reactor building.

The lift by Big Carl, the name given to the crane, was carefully planned to take advantage of a weather window to allow the hour-and-a-half long manoeuvre to be completed in low wind conditions.

The dome is the top part of the reactor building’s inner containment, a steel cylinder encased in concrete.

It measures 154 feet in diameter, making it wider than the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral, in London, and is made up of 38 prefabricated panels which were shipped to Hinkley Point C and welded together in an onsite factory. 

Prefabrication and modular construction are key features of Hinkley Point C’s construction.

Earlier this month, a 750 tonne ‘Polar Crane’ was lifted into place in a single piece above the reactor building’s third and final steel liner ring.

The internal crane will rotate 360° above the reactor and be used for refuelling and installing equipment.

Hinkley nuclear island area director Simon Parsons said: “Building the first nuclear power station in a generation is a challenging job and the success of this complex operation is due to the determination and commitment of our fantastic teams.

“Lifting the dome allows us to get on with the fitting of equipment, pipes, and cables, including the first reactor which is on site and ready to be installed next year.”

Government Minister for nuclear power Andrew Bowie said: “This is a major milestone in building Britain’s first nuclear reactor in a generation, and a key part of the UK Government’s plans to revitalise nuclear.

“Generating enough zero-carbon power for six million homes, Hinkley C will reduce our reliance on imported energy and support our shift to net zero.”

Big Carl’s latest lift highlights the progress being made at Hinkley C, where 10,000 workers and 3,500 British companies are building a power station which is essential in helping Britian achieve ‘net zero’.