Hinkley Point
Hinkley Point is a headland on the Bristol Channel coast of Somerset, five miles north of Bridgwater and five miles west of Burnham-on-Sea, close to the mouth of the River Parrett.
Excavations in 2014 and 2015, carried out by Cotswold Archaeology and funded by Électricité de France in preparation for the construction of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, discovered a farming settlement at the site dating from the Iron Age and then a post Roman cemetery.[1][2]
Hinkley Point adjoins Bridgwater Bay, a broad, shallow tidal bay (which is also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest[3] and as a nature reserve)[4] It is a popular location for birdwatching and fossil hunting. A visitor centre in Bridgwater gives access to information, as well as running tours of the plant. There is also a nature trail which features plants, birds and butterflies.[5]
Nuclear power stations
The landscape of Hinkley Point is dominated by three nuclear power stations]]:
- Hinkley Point A, with two Magnox reactors (1965–2000)
- Hinkley Point B, with two Advanced gas-cooled reactors in one building (1976–2022)
- Hinkley Point C, with two European Pressurised Reactors (under construction since 2017)
The construction of Hinckley Point C was announced in 2008,[6] with the expectation that the new Hinkley Point and Sizewell C power stations would contribute 13% of the United Kingdom's electricity in the early 2020s, but the initial constructor, EDF, fell into critical financial trouble, so in 2016 contracts were signed to bring in the China General Nuclear Power Group.[7][8][9] Hinkley Point C is projected to use three million tons of concrete and 230,000 tons of steel reinforcements.[10] One of its claims to fame is that the project was as of 2020 "the most expensive nuclear power station in the world".[9]
Location
- Location map: 51°12’29"N, 3°7’45"W
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Hinkley Point) |
References
- ↑ "Archaeology at Hinkley Point". South West Heritage Trust. https://archaeologyathinkleypoint.wordpress.com/archaeology-in-action/hinkley-point/. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- ↑ "Hinkley Point C excavations unearth bones from the Dark Ages". BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-30849222. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- ↑ SSSI listing and designation for Bridgwater Bay
- ↑ "Bridgwater Bay Natural Area". Natural England. http://www.english-nature.org.uk/science/natural/NA_Details.asp?NA_Id=115. Retrieved 19 February 2007.
- ↑ "Hinkley Point Nature Trail to reopen". British Energy. http://www.british-energy.com/article.php?article=124. Retrieved 19 February 2007.
- ↑ "New dawn for UK nuclear power". WNN. 24 September 2008. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN_New_dawn_for_UK_nuclear_power_2409081.html. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
- ↑ Moylan, John. "Hinkley Point contract is signed". BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37502547. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- ↑ Mason, Rowena (29 September 2016). "Hinkley Point: ministers sign go-ahead for nuclear power plant". Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/sep/29/hinkley-point-ministers-sign-go-ahead-for-nuclear-power-plant. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Farage, Nigel (28 January 2020). "Of course Huawei is getting an easy ride. The British establishment has been bought up by China". Daily Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/01/27/course-huawei-getting-easy-ride-british-establishment-has-bought/?li_source=LI&li_medium=li-recommendation-widget.
- ↑ Connolly, Jay (30 October 2018). "Major Project=Hinkley Point C". https://nrl.co.uk/hpc.