Heidelberg Materials UK has installed the first on-site concrete batching plant at Sizewell C in East Suffolk, where it is supplying high-specification nuclear grade concrete for the construction of the new power station. The facility is producing specialist concrete for the cut-off wall, which will establish a watertight barrier around the perimeter of the site and facilitate the excavation required for the two reactor units. The installation marks a key stage in the company’s involvement in the Sizewell C project, where it is working with the Civil Works Alliance to support construction activities. The cut-off wall will allow around four million cubic metres of earth to be excavated, creating the conditions needed to construct the reactor units.
Sean Hunter, Major Projects Director at Heidelberg Materials UK, said: “Our involvement at Sizewell builds on our expertise in supplying high-quality materials to Hinkley Point C through intelligent replication. At its height we employed over 80 people on the Somerset site but at Sizewell this could reach 200.
“Our nuclear team has wide-ranging experience in the sector including liaising with the Office of Nuclear Regulation to produce the detailed quality and health and safety control documents that cover every aspect of working on a nuclear site.
“Heidelberg Materials was the first company in the UK certified to produce nuclear grade concrete in accordance with BS EN 19443. The level of our involvement at Sizewell reinforces our leading position in the growing nuclear sector and means we are uniquely placed to help deliver the UK’s low carbon energy infrastructure.”
The installation strengthens Heidelberg Materials UK’s role in supplying specialist construction materials for the UK’s nuclear infrastructure. Its experience at Hinkley Point C provides a foundation for its work at Sizewell C, with the company anticipating that its workforce at the new project could reach 200 people, compared with more than 80 employed at the Somerset site at its peak. Its nuclear team also brings experience in meeting the quality, health and safety requirements associated with working on nuclear sites, including the preparation of detailed control documents in liaison with the Office of Nuclear Regulation. The company’s certification under BS EN 19443 and its current supply of nuclear grade concrete position it to support the construction requirements of Sizewell C as work progresses on the site.