The UK's world-leading programme to design and build a prototype fusion energy plant takes one-step closer to securing major industry partners.
UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd (UKIFS) has today announced the shortlisted organisations competing to become Engineering Partner and Construction Partner for STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production), the UK's world-leading programme to design and build a prototype fusion energy plant at the West Burton site in Nottinghamshire.
STEP will be delivered by a public-private sector integrated team consisting of UKIFS, UKAEA as fusion partner and the engineering and construction partners. These key long-term and strategic partnerships will play a central role in growing a UK-led fusion industry that will stimulate economic growth.
The STEP programme, led by UKIFS, a wholly owned subsidiary of UKAEA Group, aims to demonstrate net energy from fusion alongside fuel self-sufficiency and a route to plant maintenance. This will pave the way for the commercialisation of fusion as a safe, low-carbon and near-limitless energy source.
The contracts for STEP's Engineering and Construction Partners will be worth an initial combined value of hundreds of millions of pounds during the first contract period until 2029. Further phases will continue the long-term collaboration that builds progressively with the programme.
The shortlisted organisations for STEP's Engineering Partner are:
Celestial JV, consisting of Eni UK Limited as the lead member and AtkinsRealis, Jacobs Clean Energy (now Amentum), Westinghouse and Tokamak Energy as other members.
Phoenix (UK) Fusion Limited, consisting of Cavendish Nuclear Ltd as the lead member, KBR Ltd and Assystem Energy and Infrastructure Ltd as other members.
The shortlisted organisations for STEP's Construction Partner are:
Inovus Infrastructure, consisting of Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering as the lead member and Vinci Construction, AtkinsRealis, Mott Macdonald and WSP as other members.
ILIOS, consisting of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas as the lead member and Bam Nuttal, Nuvia Limited, AECOM Ltd, Turner and Townsend Infrastructure Ltd and Amanda Levete Architects Ltd as other members.
Ferrovial Mace JV, consisting of Ferrovial Construction UK Ltd as the lead member and Mace Consult Ltd as the other member.
A crucial part of STEP's mission is to develop a world-leading fusion supply chain to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of a new technology and emerging industry.
Paul Methven, CEO of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions and Senior Responsible Owner for STEP, said:
The announcement of shortlisted organisations for STEP's Whole Plant Partners is a critical milestone for our mission to demonstrate fusion energy and development of a world-leading fusion supply chain that unlocks significant industrial and economic opportunities.
Together, we aim to lead the development of a fusion energy sector that will help meet rising global energy demand as well as deliver near-term benefits for industry and for the communities that will help build STEP.
The shortlisted companies will now enter detailed discussions known as 'competitive dialogue' with UKIFS as the multi-stage procurement process progresses towards final partner selection in late 2025/early 2026.
A vast range of other opportunities for the broader supply chain will follow the appointment of these strategic partners.
STEP provides a significant catalyst for growth and regeneration for the communities surrounding the West Burton power station site, announced as STEP's home in October 2022.
The programme will create thousands of highly skilled jobs during construction and operations, as well as attracting other high-tech industries to the Midlands region.
Fusion energy has enormous potential to deliver safe, sustainable, low carbon energy for generations to come.
Sometimes described as the ultimate energy source, fusion is based on the same processes that power the Sun and stars. When a mix of two types of hydrogen (deuterium and tritium) are heated to form a plasma that's 10 times hotter than the core of the Sun, they fuse together to create helium and release huge amounts of energy.
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