Scope of Fusion Energy National Policy Statements: Consultation

Claire Coutinho Excerpts

Wednesday 8th May 2024 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Claire Coutinho)]

I am tabling this statement for the benefit of hon. and right hon. Members to bring to their attention the launch of the consultation on the scope of the fusion energy national policy statement on 8 May 2024.

Fusion energy has the potential to deliver low-carbon, safe, secure energy, and developers, investors, and the wider industry need to be able to plan with confidence to commercialise fusion technology. The UK’s STEP (Spherical tokamak for energy production) programme seeks to develop and build in the UK by 2040 a prototype fusion power plant. Private fusion companies in the UK and overseas are also quickly developing demonstrator fusion facilities. To deliver these facilities, sites for fusion energy facilities will need to be identified and construction started this decade.

If the UK is to maintain its global leadership in fusion and capture the environmental, economic and social benefits of fusion, the Government need to create a stable regulatory and planning environment that supports and encourages its development.

In 2022, the Government published a response to the fusion regulation Green Paper confirming that fusion will be regulated under a different framework than nuclear fission due to its lower hazard. With this different policy approach, the Government also identified a fusion-specific national policy statement as essential to providing clarity to developers and streamlining the planning process for fusion, aligning fusion with other energy-generating technologies. This is necessary not only to provide certainty for developers but also to align fusion with other complex energy-generating technologies which local authorities will lack the expertise to assess in the near future.

The consultation we have published begins the process taking us towards designating an NPS for fusion energy (EN-8). It will include our seeking views on the broad policy proposals for this NPS, and high-level planning criteria.

These broad policy proposals are:

Open-sited—a developer-led approach underpinned by site criteria rather than identifying sites. This approach would allow siting in more communities across the UK, subject to local support.

Technology inclusive—the UK’s fusion strategy committed to supporting all fusion technologies, so the NPS will cover all fusion technologies.

Output agnostic—amend the Planning Act 2008, so that all fusion energy facilities in England will be nationally significant infrastructure projects, independent of capacity of thermal or electrical output. This approach was proposed in the new nuclear NPS consultation, so any amendments to legislation will be co-ordinated.

This consultation relates to the exercise of powers in England and Wales. The Planning Act 2008 and the system of nationally significant infrastructure consenting do not apply to Scotland or Northern Ireland. The Wales Act 2017 gives Welsh Ministers responsibility for consenting to the construction of power stations of a capacity up to and including 350 MW.

Alongside the publication of this consultation, we will publish a consultation on the scope of an appraisal of sustainability and a habitats regulation assessment. These will inform consideration of the sustainability impacts of fusion development.

I am depositing a copy of the consultation in the Libraries of both Houses.

[HCWS445]