Engineers and lifting specialists worked through the night to oversee installation of a 170 tonne prefabricated part of the reactor’s steel containment liner.

Other major achievements at the site in 2019 included:

• Completion of the first reactor’s base
• Start of tunnelling  on the three water cooling intakes  deep beneath the Severn Estuary
• Completion of the 760m seawall
• Hiring of the 500th apprentice
• Construction of first permanent buildings above ground

Hinkley Point C Managing Director Stuart Crooks said: “The first big lift is another impressive achievement and I want to thank the teams who’ve worked so hard to make this possible.

“The experience from civil and nuclear construction and operation across the world at Hinkley Point C is first class and I am pleased to say that we have ended 2019 with all milestones achieved.”