Nuclear Safety Critical Gas Measurement Systems for Hinkley Point C

Project Overview

Client: EDF Energy - Hinkley Point C

Market Sector: Nuclear New Build

Executive Summary

At Hinkley Point C (HPC), EDF required robust gas measurement and effluent monitoring systems to meet stringent safety, compliance, environmental and operational demands. AMS Nuclear was engaged to design, build, test, and deliver a suite of critical systems, including flow proportional samplers, measuring gas cabinets, dryers, and conductivity, oxygen, and density analysers.

Our team combined technical rigour with practical engineering expertise to deliver right-first-time solutions. Each system was designed and qualified to nuclear standards, with clear focus on operability, maintainability, and long-term performance. The result: proven, safety-critical systems that support the reliability and compliance of the UK’s most important new nuclear facility.

The Challenge. Initial Assessment.

Hinkley Point C is central to the UK’s future energy supply. Every component delivered to site must meet demanding nuclear standards and integrate seamlessly into a highly regulated environment.

AMS Nuclear was selected for its track record of delivering complex EC&I systems across the UK nuclear fleet. Our independent quality systems (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, Fit4Nuclear) and decades of project experience gave confidence in our ability to deliver at HPC.

This project addressed:

The need for nuclear qualified, precise and reliable gas monitoring to support plant safety on the Primary Coolant Circuit.
Regulatory expectations for seismic, ATEX, and environmental qualification.
Long-term reliability in a nuclear new build environment.
Full lifecycle documentation and quality assurance.

Our Solution. Engineering Excellence.

We provided a complete package of engineered systems, including:

Measuring Gas Cabinets: Six Nuclear Safety Classified, ATEX Zone 2 cabinets housing hydrogen and oxygen analysers, with leak detection, alarms, and automatic shutdown safeguards.
Flow Proportional Samplers: Nuclear-grade units with gamma monitoring and fail-safe alarms, seismically assured for inspection earthquake conditions.
Measuring Gas Dryers: Four certified gas dryers ensuring stable dew points for accurate downstream measurement.
Conductivity, Oxygen and Density Measurement Systems: Modular skids and inline analysers to monitor and maintain water chemistry and boron concentrations, preventing impurities from entering the primary circuit.

All systems were delivered using qualified (SQEP) engineers and a structured lifecycle process – from concept through to acceptance – ensuring compliance and reliability at every step.

Our Delivery. Implementation & Execution.

Our delivery approach was simple: design and build once, build it right. Key stages included:

Design: Applied nuclear lifecycle methodology with early human factors input to optimise operator usability.
Build: Used proven COTS components where appropriate, balancing compliance and maintainability.
Qualification: Completed software and hardware qualification, seismic and ATEX assurance using recognised industry methods, giving the client confidence in equipment resilience.
Quality Assurance: Delivered full traceability, aligned with EDF requirements and international standards.
Integration: Worked to EDF’s delivery milestones, ensuring systems were ready when the wider construction programme required them.

Measurable Results. Tangible Benefits.

The project delivered clear, measurable benefits:

Safety and compliance assured: All systems built to nuclear QA standards, seismically qualified, and ATEX certified.
Enhanced plant reliability: Redundant designs and fail-safe features increase resilience.
Efficient operations: Modular, maintainable systems simplify upkeep and reduce lifecycle costs.
Programme certainty: All equipment delivered on time, aligned to EDF’s critical path schedule.
Confidence in lifecycle support: Comprehensive documentation provides a strong foundation for long-term operation.

Innovation & Learning

This project strengthened AMS Nuclear’s position as a trusted new build partner. Key learning included:

Proving the value of integrating COTS components into nuclear applications without compromising safety.
Applying SQUG seismic methodologies for efficient, cost-effective assurance.
Embedding human factors from the outset to improve system usability.
Developing modular designs that can be adapted for future projects across the EDF fleet.

These lessons ensure that the value we delivered at HPC will extend well beyond a single project, shaping how we approach future safety-critical systems across the UK nuclear industry.