Bouygues UK is to build a ‘simulator training centre’ that will allow EDF Energy’s operatives to learn how to control and maintain nuclear reactors in a virtual environment at its Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.
The centre is part of the first phase of ancillary buildings at Hinkley Point C. Bouygues has a £35m contract to design and build the simulator training centre, which will also house the control room training simulator as well as required support IT equipment.
It will be built alongside an HHA warehouse that 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.
The building will then be used as a warehouse and workshop facility throughout the life of the power station.
Construction is expected to start late this year with a targeted completion date of late 2020, though it is not expected to be operational till 2025.
Working from its Bristol office, Bouygues UK says it will use its local supply chain and ensure that over 80% 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, the firm adds.
This is the 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 £1.5bn 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.
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 our partners to deliver this extraordinary project.”
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.
