Bassetlaw representatives explore West Burton's fusion future
STEP hosted delegates on a visit to UKAEA's Culham Campus, to learn about the scale of opportunity presented by the UK's prototype fusion energy plant programme
Councillors and staff from Bassetlaw District Council - Image credit: UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd.
A delegation of councillors and staff from Bassetlaw District Council recently visited the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) at Culham Campus, gaining first-hand insight into the cutting-edge fusion energy research that underpins the future of clean energy in the UK.
The visit included tours of the world-renowned聽Joint European Torus (JET)聽and聽MAST (Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak) Upgrade聽facilities - two of the UK鈥檚 most advanced fusion research programmes. These pioneering projects form the scientific and technological foundation for the聽Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP)聽programme, which is set to be developed at the site of the former聽West Burton Power Station,聽between Retford and Gainsborough.
The STEP programme is the UK鈥檚 flagship initiative to design and build the world鈥檚 first prototype fusion power plant by the early 2040s. The West Burton site was selected in 2022 as the future home of this ambitious project, positioning the Retford and Gainsborough area at the heart of a global energy revolution. The West Burton development is expected to bring thousands of high-skilled jobs, new infrastructure, and global scientific collaboration to the region. A聽, commissioned by Local Councils in the area, suggested that the project could create between 5,500 and 8,500 jobs in and around the site (as well as additionally bringing further new industry, jobs and investment to the wider area), adding an average of over 拢500m a year to the UK economy over the coming decades.
Fusion energy, often described as the 鈥渉oly grail鈥� of clean power, replicates the process that powers the sun - fusing hydrogen atoms to release vast amounts of energy. Fusion could provide a virtually limitless, safe, and carbon-free energy source for generations to come. The STEP programme aims to demonstrate the commercial viability of this technology and to develop a UK fusion industry capable of delivering commercial fusion power plants around the world in the second half of the century.聽
The UKAEA, headquartered at Culham Campus in Oxfordshire, is a world leader in fusion research and development. Its work supports the UK government鈥檚 commitment to reducing emissions and securing long-term energy independence. During the visit, Bassetlaw representatives were able to see the scale of investment and innovation already underway at Culham, offering a glimpse into the transformative potential of the STEP programme for the local economy. The intention of STEP is to create a similar science and engineering focused campus on the Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire border.聽
Bassetlaw District Council鈥檚 Deputy Leader, Cllr Jonathan Slater said:
It was good to see first-hand the scale of investment and innovation underway at the UKAEA headquarters in Culham in Oxfordshire, where it provided a real glimpse into the opportunities and potential of the STEP programme in West Burton.
As well as creating over 16,000 related employment opportunities it will also improve transport links, help bring major investment to the area and significantly boost our local economy.
STEP鈥檚 Head of Communications and Engagement, Ben Bradley, said:
The STEP team is working really hard to engage with local communities and stakeholders around West Burton, and we鈥檙e hugely grateful for the support that we鈥檝e received for the programme. The ambition is to build on this area鈥檚 legacy of power generation and bring huge investment to this part of the world, in a way that is truly transformational for local people. I hope that, by visiting the existing campus in Oxfordshire, Bassetlaw Council colleagues were able to get a sense of the scale of its opportunity, as our investment shifts towards West Burton in the years ahead.
Notes to Editors
UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd (UKIFS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Group, responsible for the STEP (Spherical Tokamak for聽Energy Production) programme to deliver the UK鈥檚 prototype fusion energy plant.聽聽
Targeting first operations in 2040, UKIFS will lead STEP鈥檚 integrated delivery team to design and build the prototype fusion energy plant at West Burton, a former coal-fired power station site in Nottinghamshire.
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