Fusion project has ‘strong’ community support as it’s set to replace Bassetlaw coal plant

Earlier this week, the government announced that the West Burton A site, eight-miles east of Retford, had been selected to host the UK’s first STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) prototype fusion energy plant.

The project will replace the coal power station, which will stop running next year, and allow the STEP fusion project, led by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), to begin.

Fusion energy has the potential to deliver safe, sustainable, low carbon energy to the National Grid, and the project is expected to create up to 10,000 jobs as well as £20bn in investment.

Yesterday, project leaders and local politicians met at the West Burton site to discuss the future of the project, showing support and optimism for the scheme.

Councillor James Naish, leader of Bassetlaw District Council, said it will be ‘really significant’ for the community, and that he would be creating a strong relationship with stakeholders over the next months and years to ensure the council maximises the skills, jobs and investments from the project.

Over the last two years, Coun Naish has worked with residents to form the West Burton Residents’ Planning Group (WBRPG) and create masterplans for the power station after it was announced that it would be decommissioned.

After the West Burton site made it into the shortlist for the STEP project, the WBRPG conducted a survey across Bassetlaw which revealed almost 70 per cent of 683 residents supported plans for the site to become the UK’s first prototype fusion energy plant.

David Langmead, a member of WBRPG, said the group has been holding discussions with residents to ensure they understand the difference between nuclear fusion and fission energy.

Saranne Postans, STEP communications manager at UKAEA, said the firm will be beginning community engagement within the month to answer questions about the project.

Fusion is a process which creates energy by fusing atoms together, however it has only been done on a small scale. The STEP project will allow it to be scaled up to demonstrate that it can generate electricity that can be deployed and used commercially.

UKAEA must produce a concept design by 2024, followed by the start of construction in 2030, and its launch in 2040.

Ms Postans said: “There is a lot of stuff that we'll be testing, but we do this to enable us to actually build proper power plants that do their job.

“What STEP provides is a massive opportunity for the future. Whether that's jobs, skills development, supply chain opportunities - we'll need everything from magnet experts to catering.”

Councillor Ben Bradley, Nottinghamshire County Council leader and Mansfield MP said: “If we get it right, it solves so many of the world's problems with clean energy and carbon reduction.

“But it’s massive for Nottinghamshire, even if it doesn't work, because the amount of inward investment, the amount of growth opportunities, jobs, infrastructure, skills and qualifications, are absolutely massive.

“It's not just about STEP, but actually upskilling the whole workforce to do this across the country - and we’ll be the heart of it all.”