STEP Fusion programme receives £120m investment for UK prototype plant

UK Fusion Energy Ltd (UKFE) has invested nearly £120 million to advance the design of STEP Fusion, the United Kingdom’s prototype fusion power plant programme. The project, located at the former West Burton Power Station site in Nottinghamshire, aims to demonstrate the commercial scalability of fusion energy while building a specialized industrial supply chain.

The programme has expanded its industrial reach to include more than 370 UK suppliers. Key milestones include the appointment of the ILIOS Consortium as a construction partner and Tokamak Energy as the first systems partner. The project is transitioning from the conceptual phase toward preliminary design.

The UK government has committed over £2.5 billion to fusion energy over five years, with approximately £1.3 billion specifically designated for the STEP Fusion programme. An additional £740 million is earmarked for research and development infrastructure and facilities.