Approval has been granted to start building the twin EPR nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C in Somerset.

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has granted its first consent for construction on the development, which will see the first nuclear safety-related structure installed at the £18 billion site.

EDF will place structural concrete for the 'technical galleries' of the power station. The galleries are a series of underground reinforced concrete structures which will be located beneath the site and some above-ground structures, connecting services such as cooling water and electricity.

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Mike Finnerty, Deputy Chief Nuclear Inspector and Director of ONR's New Reactors Programme, said: "Our consent for the first nuclear safety concrete at Hinkley Point C is a key regulatory milestone marking start of construction of the first nuclear power station since Sizewell B in Suffolk.

"We have carried out extensive assessment of EDF's safety case and preparedness for the this important step at Hinkley Point C. However, this does not give consent for all elements of construction. We will continue to regulate NNB GenCo's activities and have implemented a number of hold-points to ensure we have full regulatory control over the various construction and commissioning stages through to start of operation."

The Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant is due to be completed in 2023.

(LM/CD)