| | Kier Infrastructure BAM Nuttall Joint Venture and Bouygues |
| | ongoing |
| | Bridgwater, Somerset |
| | Nov 2016 |
| | Dec 2025 |
VGC is a major supplier of skilled trades and labour for the construction of Hinkley Point C.
At peak times, we have over 160 people on the project.
For Kier Bam JV we are providing people for earthworks and heavy civil engineering for the enabling works for the new nuclear power station.
In particular, we are supplying teams of pipelayers and groundworkers. We have also provided a large number of shuttering joiners. They used a bespoke peri formwork floating shutter to build the sea wall.
For Bouygues, we are providing people as they build roads and other elements of the infrastructure network.
Local employment
We are well placed to ensure that local people can access employment opportunities for the construction works. We liaise closely with local agencies such as Jobcentre Plus and local training providers. Our resourcing staff ensure that our workers have been rigorously checked to meet all the complex professional and security requirements of this sensitive project.
We work closely with the project management team and unions to ensure fair employment practices across the project. People on the project have the highest employment conditions on construction projects in the region.
We operate the higher form employment terms and conditions of the CIJC WRA called CESA – civil engineering sector agreement. The CESA agreement ensures market-leading remuneration packages for workers, including
- paid travel time
- enhanced pension
- redundancy provision.
The agreement ensures that the project can attract the very best people, despite its distance from major metropolitan centres.
90% of the workforce is either lodging or travelling within a 90-minute radius. To minimise traffic and pollution in the area, we supported EDF to successfully implement a park-and-ride scheme. All workers start at a park-and-ride location, and are paid for their travel time. We work with Kier Bam to ensure everyone understands the timetables and has the most efficient commute.
Lifelong learning
We have supported over 50 apprentices on HPC.
Concrete finisher Andrew White is one of 11 apprentices who gained NVQ and BTEC qualifications in the first quarter of 2019.
He said: “Although I have been involved in the construction industry for a number of years, I have never been given a chance to formalise my knowledge with a qualifications. I am pleased to have completed the course, and hope to achieve more in the future.”
Our experience in successfully recruiting local labour includes other flagship projects such as the London Olympics, Mersey Gateway and Crossrail.
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About the project
Hinkley Point C is a project to construct a 3,200 MWe nuclear power station with two EPR reactors. It is expected to take ten years to build; the first electricity will be generated in 2026.
The construction and operation of the new nuclear power station will create 25,000 employment opportunities, and it will provide 900 jobs for its 60 year lifetime.
Hinkley Point C’s two reactors will provide reliable, low carbon electricity to meet approximately 7% of the UK’s electricity needs.
The plant has an estimated construction cost of £18 billion.
