Bouygues UK secures Hinkley Point C appointment

Bouygues UK, one of the country’s leading construction companies, has been selected to deliver the first phase of ancillary buildings at EDF Energy’s Hinkley Point C (HPC) nuclear power station.

EDF Energy has awarded Bouygues UK the £35m contract to design and build the Simulator Training Centre and the HHA Warehouse.

Construction of the new facilities is expected to begin in late 2018 with a target completion date of late 2020.

This is the second third tranche of the Hinkley Point C scheme that the Bouygues Construction Group will deliver; Bouygues Travaux Publics, in a Joint Venture with Laing O’ Rourke, was appointed in 2017 on a €1.7 billion contract (Bouygues Construction’s share) for the construction of the buildings that will house the two EPR nuclear reactors. , and Bouygues Energies & Services was awarded the design and build contract to construct the backup plant for the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant in 2017.

The Simulator Training Centre will provide a facility for EDF Energy to train nuclear operatives to control and maintain their HPC European Pressured Reactors, as well as housing the Control Room Training Simulator and required support IT equipment.

The HHA Warehouse building will be used for the storage, preparation and assembly of primary circuit components during the construction phase of the two EPR (European Pressurised Reactor) nuclear reactors at HPC, whilst also providing a working environment for the operatives involved. After this period of heavy usage, the building will be used as a warehouse and workshop facility throughout the life of the power station.

On completion, Hinkley Point C will be the first of a new generation of nuclear power stations and the first to be built in the UK for more than 20 years.

Working from its Bristol office, Bouygues UK will be making full use of its local supply chain, ensuring that over 80 per cent of the labour used on site will be sourced from within the region. Most of the materials being used on the ancillary buildings will also be procured from the company’s regional and UK supply chain and Bouygues UK will be actively seeking to work in partnership with local SMEs keen to be involved in this exciting project.

Bouygues UK’s Rob Bradley said: “Hinkley Point C is one of the largest construction projects in Europe. It is a highly complex and technologically advanced engineering project which, when completed, is expected to supply 7% of the UK’s electricity consumption and provide power for more than five million homes. We relish working on projects of this scale and complexity, and this appointment is testament to our expert skills and experience in such technically demanding ventures. As a result we are well positioned to support our client in delivering further buildings and infrastructure across the scheme.

“The Simulator Training Centre and HHA Warehouse will be the first permanent buildings constructed on the site, and will be vital for both the construction and operational success of HPC. We are looking forward to working with Bouygues Construction and otherour partners to deliver this extraordinary project.”

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