Osprey Group has delivered the first of eight 520-tonne steam generators for the UK’s Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant.
The 25 m-long steam generators arrived at Combwich Wharf from Avonmouth on Osprey’s flat-top barge Aurora Maya, which measures 53 m x 14.5 m x 5.8 m and has a capacity of 1,554 tonnes.
From Combwich Wharf on the River Parrett in Somerset, the steam generator travelled 6.4 km on SPMTs to the construction site.
The generator’s arrival is in time for the fit out of the new power station, which will see the first nuclear reactor installed later this year. Four will be placed in each reactor building.
Towards the end of last year, heavy lift and transport engineering specialist Sarens used its heavy lift crane Big Carl to place a 47 m-wide, 245-tonne dome onto the first reactor building.
Prior to that, the crane positioned the 750-tonne polar crane into place. The polar heavy-duty crane will rotate 360 degrees at the top of the building and will be used to install heavy equipment during construction, such as the reactor. It will also be used when the power station is operational for refuelling and maintenance.
