Bigge Crane & Rigging Co.

Since 1916, The Leader in Crane Sales & Heavy Rigging
for Industrial, Commercial and Governmental Applications

Bigge Power Constructors, as subcontractor to Westinghouse, performed the following nuclear reactor vessel head (RVH) replacement work involving heavy lift and heavy transportation.

• Engineered custom solutions for the plant’s head and Containment circumstances
• Fabricated lifting and skidding devices and runways to move the RVH heads
• Ensured devices account for RVH with CRDM’s attached
• Ensured devices account for tight clearances through equipment hatches
• Received new MHI RVH, stored, moved, upended and disassembled container
• Moved Duratek transportation container into Containment, upended, and placed on RVH
• Installed specialized Bigge handling equipment in Containment including a through-hatch runway system
• Removed the existing RVH from containment inside the Duratek container
• Moved into Containment, upended, lifted and set replacement RVH with CRDM’s attached
• Lifted original RVH in Duratek container to off road hauler for disposal

Bigge Constructors successfully dealt with the following challenges on this project.

• Engineered unique solution to RVH accounting for CRDM’s, tight clearances and the elevated Containment Building equipment hatch access
• Handled, skidded and rotatedg the RVH with CRDM’s attached
• Handed and lifted RV heads with CRDM’s attached, approximately 150 tons
• Beating the critical path schedule while achieving low dose and safety

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