Framatome: the tank for the first British EPR is ready

Framatome has announced the completion of the manufacturing of the reactor vessel for unit 1 of Hinkley Point C. Currently, at Saint-Marcel, it will join the reactor building of the British EPR in 2023.

“This Thursday, December 15, the Framatome site at Saint-Marcel welcomed 500 people who came to celebrate the completion of the reactor vessel for Unit 1 of Hinkley Point C,” announced the French manufacturer.

As a reminder, two EPR reactors are currently under construction in the United Kingdom since 2018 for the first unit and 2019 for the second. The reactor building of the first unit, with a height of more than 30 meters, is now the highlight of the construction site. The major milestones for 2023 include the installation of the dome and vessel for unit 1. Commissioning of the first unit is scheduled for 2027, and the following year for the second.

Framatome manufactured the reactor vessel at the Saint-Marcel site (Burgundy Franche-Comté, Saône-et-Loire). The tank, with its cover, is 13.1 meters high and 5.7 meters in diameter, weighing 558 metric tons. “The various manufacturing, assembly, and installation phases of all the components of the tank and its cover have mobilized teams for nearly 130,000 workshop hours,” Framatome said.

Gaïc Le Gros Sfen

Photo ©Framatome