The delicate 90-minute heavy lift by the Big Carl crane saw the dome, wider than St Paul’s cathedral, lifted onto the 44m tall first reactor building.

EDF’s nuclear island director Simon Parsons said: “Building the first nuclear power station in a generation is a challenging job and the success of this complex operation is due to the determination and commitment of our fantastic teams.”

He added: “Lifting the dome allows us to get on with the fitting of equipment, pipes and cables, including the first reactor which is on site and ready to be installed next year.”