Donald Freeke
EDF
senior civil engineer
Donald Freeke
Donald Freeke is a chartered structural engineer (MICE, MIStructE), with an interest in complex structural designs across a range of materials and particular experience in the design and maintenance of nuclear power plants in the UK. He is currently the chief civil engineer for the new build part of EDF, providing support and guidance to the HPC and SZC projects.
Donald studied civil engineering at the University of Glasgow, and started his professional career at Buro Happold, working on various structural projects including the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, the Museum of Liverpool, Library of Birmingham, 3Rs Aberdeen Schools project, Bridgewater Pottery Footbridge. This period included working in Saudi Arabia for around 9 months as a site engineer on the King Saud University campus in Riyadh.
He then moved to Amec civil nuclear team where he initially worked on supporting the EDF operating fleet, until beginning a three-and-a-half-year secondment to Japan, to work on the Hitachi/Horizon ABWR nuclear project in Wylfa.
When this project concluded, Donald returned to the UK and joined Corporate Risk Associates when he began supporting the HPC project. After 5 years of providing support via CRA, he joined EDF Nuclear Services, continuing the same role but in a staff position. From the start of 2025, he has been the acting chief civil engineer for both HPC and SZC.
