The UK’s first prototype facility is due to be brought online by 2040.
Home to the former-West Burton power station, STEP Fusion aims to deliver major economic gains for Nottingham and the East Midlands once the site has been redeveloped. The scheme also involves organisations including Invest In Nottingham and Marketing Nottingham, and forms part of the wider Trent Clean Energy Supercluster.
According to official estimates, thousands of construction jobs would be attracted to the area through the project, which would be the first of its kind to operate in Britain, used to “demonstrate will demonstrate net energy, fuel self-sufficiency and a viable route to plant maintenance”. The UK’s clean energy ambitions would also be supported, and a skilled workforce established in the region in the long-term.
“What an exciting project this is. This is bringing pure, clean, green energy, so the research is happening here, and the investment is coming here,” said Chief Executive of Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, Megan Powell Vreeswijk. “For the region this will have a massive economic impact, and for the nation we’re going to be the leaders in fusion energy technology. These are really exciting times and we can’t wait to promote this as an opportunity for investment.
Earlier this year, rural communities in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire were announced as recipients of £1.2million investment in high speed internet. The work was commissioned through Neos Networks in partnership with Openreach and Netomnia. Elsewhere, in January Nottinghamshire County Council confirmed it was launching a pilot scheme to ‘better understand’ the range of on-street EV charging technologies available.
Image: BoliviaInteligente / Unsplash
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