Hinkley Point C Advances Environmental Protection Work with New Fish Return Tunnel Construction

Hinkley Point C Advances Environmental Protection Work with New Fish Return Tunnel Construction

(IN BRIEF) Engineers working on the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset are preparing to begin tunnelling work on the second of three environmental systems designed to protect fish around the facility’s cooling water infrastructure. The new fish return system will involve a 620-metre tunnel with a diameter of 1.8 metres that will safely guide fish back into open water. The tunnel boring machine has been named Sarah Guppy by local schoolchildren after a pioneering nineteenth-century engineer. Once completed alongside other protection technologies already installed, the site will include more fish protection measures than any other nuclear power station globally. The milestone comes as the UK Government considers recommendations from the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce aimed at improving regulatory efficiency for new nuclear developments. EDF leadership has emphasised the importance of effective and proportionate regulation while highlighting the role of domestic nuclear power in providing reliable energy amid global fossil fuel market volatility. In addition to the return system, the project includes specially designed water intake heads and acoustic deterrents to help prevent fish from entering cooling tunnels and to reduce environmental impacts.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 14-Mar-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Hinkley Point C has reached another construction milestone as engineers prepare to begin tunnelling work on the second of three systems designed to protect fish near the power station’s cooling water infrastructure.

The new structure, known as the fish return system, will consist of a tunnel measuring approximately 620 metres in length and 1.8 metres in diameter. Its purpose is to safely return fish to open water after they enter the plant’s intake system. The tunnel will be excavated using a tunnel boring machine that has been named Sarah Guppy, in honour of the pioneering nineteenth-century engineer. The name was selected by local schoolchildren to recognise Guppy’s contribution to engineering innovation.

Once completed alongside the other environmental protection measures already installed, Hinkley Point C will incorporate more fish protection systems than any other nuclear power station worldwide. These measures are designed to minimise environmental impact while enabling the station to operate efficiently.

The construction update comes as the UK Government considers recommendations from the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce, which has reviewed ways to improve regulatory processes for new nuclear developments. The report examines how regulatory systems can remain robust while also becoming more efficient and predictable to support the delivery of future nuclear projects.

Alex Chisholm commented that the current volatility in global fossil fuel markets highlights the value of domestic nuclear generation in providing stable and reliable electricity for the United Kingdom. He emphasised that nuclear energy’s reputation for safe construction and operation depends on regulatory frameworks that are effective while also being timely and proportionate.

Chisholm also noted that environmental protection and major infrastructure development can be achieved simultaneously. In his view, regulatory approaches should ensure meaningful environmental benefits while supporting the efficient delivery of nationally important energy projects.

In addition to the fish return tunnel currently being prepared, Hinkley Point C has already implemented other protective technologies designed to safeguard marine life. These include specially engineered water intake heads that reduce the speed of water entering the plant’s cooling system, as well as an acoustic fish deterrent system that uses sound to guide fish away from the intake area.

Together, these systems are intended to reduce the risk of fish entering the cooling water infrastructure and support the project’s broader environmental protection strategy while construction of the nuclear power station continues.

Media Contact:

email: media@edfenergy.com

SOURCE: EDF