Contaminant Sampling at Hinkley Point

Supporting the proposed EDF nuclear power development at Hinkley Point, the UK survey company Coastline were tasked with extracting vibrocore samples adjacent to Combwich Wharf, near Hinkley Point in support of a license application for the upgrade and enlargement programme that would allow access for the vessels required to bring heavy machinery and construction plant to the project. Using the Wharf will enable very large components to be brought on site which are too large to use road transport networks. 

 

The team had to overcome many difficulties on the intertidal location, including tidal ranges amongst the largest in the world and unpredictable difficulties of the unexpected ground conditions.  Historical information on the site proved incorrect at times with the vibrocorer penetrating unrecorded protective concrete mats.  Coastline provided core logging and reporting procedures through their new laboratories in Lowestoft.

 

Project Management for the work was provided by CEFAS, a UK government agency of Defra, who are EDF Energy's programme managers for marine environment studies at Hinkley Point.