UKIFS takes reigns of the U.K.’s STEP fusion program

Leadership of the United Kingdom's STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) fusion program has transitioned to U.K. Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd. (UKIFS), a wholly owned subsidiary of the U.K. Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). UKIFS was established in February 2023 to lead a public-private partnership that will design, build, and operate the STEP prototype fusion energy plant in Nottinghamshire in England's East Midlands region.

The UKAEA said it will continue to be a program partner, working alongside two industry partners-one in engineering and one in construction-to spearhead the development of the STEP plant, which is targeted to be constructed by 2040 to demonstrate the ability to use fusion energy to generate electricity for the U.K. grid.

In May, the U.K. government launched a multistage competition to select long-term industry partners for the project. A shortlist of winning proposals is expected to be announced by the end of the year, the UKAEA said.

The site: In October 2022, the UKAEA announced the selection of West Burton, a coal-fired power plant site in Nottinghamshire, as the future home of STEP. At the time, the U.K. government said it was providing £220 million (about $250 million) of funding for the first phase of STEP, which was to see a UKAEA-produced concept design by 2024.

Subsequent phases of the STEP program include the development of a detailed engineering design and regulatory permissions, followed by the construction of the prototype power plant by the targeted 2040 date.

They said it: "UKIFS brings together an experienced team dedicated to translating decades of fusion research into a functioning prototype plant that will be capable of supplying low-carbon, safe, and sustainable energy to the grid," said Ian Chapman, chief executive officer of UKAEA.

Paul Methven, CEO of UKIFS, added, "STEP is a national endeavor with global impact, and we will continue to work closely with public- and private-sector partners to ensure the U.K. remains at the forefront of a revolutionary sustainable new energy source that will drive economic growth."