The fire safety shortcomings identified at the under-construction Hinkley Point C nuclear plant have been addressed by all implicated firms.
- The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) served notices to four companies for fire safety violations in January, identifying significant risks.
- EDF’s NNB Generation and Reel UK, initially granted extensions, have now complied with regulatory demands.
- BYLOR joint venture’s compliance was established in April, marking early improvements by Bouygues and Laing O’Rourke.
- The breaches detected were linked to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, highlighting key safety shortfalls.
In a significant development concerning fire safety standards at the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant, all four companies previously issued warning notices by the nuclear regulator have now rectified the identified deficiencies. This progress follows actions by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), which, in January, highlighted fire safety concerns at the construction site, prompting regulatory enforcement.
The companies involved, including subsidiary NNB Generation Company Ltd of energy giant EDF, and contractor Reel UK, were initially given extensions to meet the stringent fire safety requirements. According to an ONR statement, NNB Generation Company Ltd and Reel UK Ltd have successfully addressed the enforcement notices citing fire safety shortfalls.
Previously, by April, the BYLOR joint venture, comprising construction leaders Bouygues and Laing O’Rourke, had already demonstrated compliance with the issued fire safety notices. These notices were a direct response to perceived potential harms and serious injury risks outlined under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The ONR’s operations included pre-planned inspections late last year, which revealed compliance failures within one building at the Unit 1 HR Building site.
The Hinkley Point C project, an ambitious undertaking projected to be operational by 2031, faces a substantial increase in estimated costs, now reaching £46 billion, significantly above previous forecasts. Initially anticipated to conclude by 2026 with a budget of approximately £15 billion, the project encountered setbacks partially attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All companies involved in Hinkley Point C’s construction have now successfully met fire safety compliance requirements per regulatory standards.
