Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent progress his Department has made on implementing the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) prototype fusion power plant at West Burton.

On 16 January 2025, the Government announced £410m of investment to accelerate development of fusion energy. This is to fund UK fusion programmes in 2025-2026, including STEP.

On the same day, UKIFS – the UKAEA subsidiary that will deliver STEP – announced the shortlist of construction and engineering partners selected for the next stage of the STEP procurement process. Contracts for successful bidders are set to be awarded by early 2026. By involving private industry early, the programme will maximise development of the fusion supply chain and adjacent sectors. Other progress in recent months includes the formal transfer of the programme’s leadership to the delivery body, UKIFS.