The UK government has pledged an additional £2.5bn in funding for the development of the world’s first prototype fusion power station, to be built at the former West Burton A coal plant site in Nottinghamshire. UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd, a subsidiary of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, leads the STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) facility.
This financial commitment is part of a wider industrial strategy goal to establish the UK as a global leader in clean energy innovation. The STEP programme aims to transition fusion energy from experimental research to commercial viability, with the first operations targeted for 2040.
The Midlands-based project is expected to generate over 10,000 jobs, spanning construction, advanced engineering, and long-term operational roles. Its underlying technology involves fusing hydrogen isotopes, deuterium and tritium, at extremely high temperatures using magnetic confinement, generating energy that can be converted into electricity.
Fusion energy has long been regarded as a potential cornerstone of net-zero ambitions due to its minimal environmental impact and virtually limitless fuel supply. The STEP plant is positioned as a strategic move to accelerate private sector investment and spin-off innovations across the UK clean tech and high-value manufacturing sectors.
