A COMMEMORATIVE photo book has been made to capture the most compelling moments from a Somerset nuclear power station's final months in operation.

Through late 2021 and into 2022, photographers from Bridgwater Photographic Society snapped photos of Hinkley Point B as it went from producing electricity to being taken offline for the final time.

The talented photographers' photographs from the emotional period have now been immortalised in a commemorative book.

Mike Davies, Station Director at Hinkley Point B said: “We knew that our final months of operations would be exciting but also emotional.
 
“Many of us have worked here for decades and are well used to this place, looking, sounding, even smelling, a certain way.

"We knew that when the reactors were taken offline for the final time all that would change and thought that having photographers onsite would be a wonderful way to capture what happened before, what happened on our final generating day and what happened afterwards.
 
“And this book has turned out beautifully - not only have they diligently captured our staff onsite they have also caught many of us off guard at special moments.

"Having this record of our eventful few months is something I’ll certainly treasure.”

Before the Bridgwater Photographic Society arrived to capture the site's final months, they learned the lay-out of the site, and also were granted permission to access parts of the station rarely visited by photographers.

The photos can be viewed online here.
 
Martin Barber, club chairman, said: “We knew that trying to capture 500 plus people at their place of work during an emotional time for them would be quite the challenge.
 
“But I think that over the following months we managed to get a good feel for what those onsite were going through and hopefully our pictures have captured that.

"Seeing the photos made into these albums is a lovely way site teams have captured that special moment, and we were thrilled to be part of it.

“That’s what being part of this club can do.

"Over the years as a society we have accessed lots of unusual places.

"Working with EDF on this project was another example of what being in this club gives us the opportunity to do. 
 
"Anyone interested in working with us, either as a photographer or as a company, charity or even group of friends, can get in touch and talk to us about what you need, we’ll help where we can.”