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Hinkley Point C’s giant crane today lifted the 245-tonne domed roof onto the second reactor building.

With its 14-metre-tall dome now in place, the second 44-metre-high reactor building  is now ready for the installation of the nuclear reactor and equipment.

The crane responsible for the lift is Big Carl – officially designated SGC-250 – a platform-mounted lattice-boom crane designed, built, owned and operated by Belgian heavy-lift specialist Sarens.  It can lift up to 5,000 tonnes at a radius of 40 metres.

EDF, majority owner of the Somerset nuclear power station, broadcast the weather-dependent lift on its YouTube channel. With fair weather, all went smoothly.

The full video – all 70 minutes of it – is shared below

While the dome lift was the highlight of the week at Hinkley Point C, it was not Big Carl’s only major lift. The week began with the installation of the  huge rotating polar crane in the second reactor building, ahead of the dome placement.  

The 750-tonne polar crane will rotate 360° and handle heavy components during the power plant’s construction and future operation, including the reactor and steam generators.

Thanks to experience gained from Unit 1, the second polar crane was assembled 40% faster than the first. This was also filmed but, at a mere 80 seconds, will take up rather less of your valuable viewing time.