Hanson: Regen GGBS milestone achieved at Hinkley Point C

The 10,000th load of our Regen GGBS has been delivered to the Hinkley Point C (HPC) new nuclear power station in Somerset – helping to enhance the project’s low carbon credentials. 

Regen GGBS (ground granulated blastfurnace slag) – a replacement product for some of the normal Portland cement (PC) content in concrete – can significantly reduce the environmental impact of a project as it cuts the CO₂ emissions associated with concrete while helping to conserve natural resources for future generations.

Since 2014, more than 230,000 tonnes of Regen GGBS has been supplied to HPC from our Port Talbot site in south Wales. This is sampled and checked at a dedicated on-site testing laboratory at Port Talbot and again on delivery to HPC’s site to ensure it meets with the exacting technical specifications required before being used to make concrete for the project.

The addition of Regen GGBS into the concrete mix provides a more sustainable alternative to other cement substitutes, such as fly ash, as it reduces the amount of embodied CO₂. Using just one tonne of Regen GGBS in the concrete cuts embodied CO₂ by around 850 kg, compared to using one tonne of Portland Cement, making it less impactful on the environment.

Stewart Cameron, head of nuclear operations at Hanson UK, said: “Around 200 thousand tonnes of CO₂ has been saved in reaching this milestone Regen GGBS load. It is a credit to all those involved as we continue to meet the standards expected of this high-profile project.”