BIG Carl, the world’s biggest crane, was back in action at Hinkley Point C this week when it placed the first huge steel ring section onto the second reactor building, just 11 months after the same operation on the first reactor.


The ring was built 25 per cent more quickly than the same part on unit one, requiring thousands of hours less labour to manufacture. The prefabricated ring, which is 47 metres in diameter and 17 metres high, forms a reinforced cylinder around the nuclear reactor.


Built in Belgium, Big Carl was brought to Hinkley on 250 lorries. It is 820 feet tall, can lift 5,000 tons and has a reach of 275 metres - more than the length of two football pitches.

Simon Parsons, nuclear island area, site and civils director, said: “This significant lift is testament to everyone involved - from the teams who fabricated it, to those on Unit 2 who’ve delivered the civil works schedule enabling us to install it and the lifting team themselves.

“We have continued to learn from Unit 1 to safely deliver a quality product. Well done one and all!”