Somerset businesses win contracts to support Hinkley Point construction

The scale of the project is impressive, with construction workers set to spend around £8 million a year on meals from local catering supplier, Somerset Larder.

NG Bailey has been listed through Balfour Beatty Bailey, a joint venture with worldwide infrastructure group Balfour Beatty to design and install miles of cabling and support systems. A contract for the construction of workers’ campus accommodation was awarded to Laing O’Rourke, while construction of temporary buildings will be carried out by Premier Interlink WACO UK Ltd. Meanwhile, power transmission work has been awarded to ABB UK.

A final investment decision is expected in the coming months, after which the contracts will be signed.

Renfrewshire’s Doosan Babcock is part of a consortium that will provide heating, ventilation and air conditioning at Hinkley Point C, while Glasgow-headquartered Weir will provide large pumps for cooling water.

While the first round of contractors were all French firms, the new round involves mostly local, Somerset and UK based, companies.

The company said the preferred bidders were selected through open and fair competition.

It is now estimated that more than 60% of the construction cost will be placed with UK firms, 3% more than an initial estimate. Alstom will provide two steam turbines.

Construction of the new twin reactor on Suffolk’s coast has always hinged on the successful development of Hinkley Point C, which will be the UK’s first new nuclear plant in more than 20 years.

EDF Energy CEO Vincent de Rivaz said, “Hinkley Point C will be at the forefront of the revitalization of the UK’s industrial and skills base, and we have worked hard to build a robust supply chain to support new nuclear in the UK”.

Balfour Beatty group chief executive Leo Quinn said: “This project enables Balfour Beatty to deploy its extensive experience and knowledge of the nuclear sector as the UK takes its next significant step forward in low-carbon energy”.

It will cost around £14bn to build at present costs, rising to £24bn by the time it is finished, and interest payments have been added.

Turner & Townsend, which has been providing project controls for EDF Energy’s design team in Paris for the past three years, is the preferred sole provider of project controls for Hinckley Point C.