Following an extensive, two-year, high-quality competitive process — which included community and stakeholder engagement, as well as technical and socio-economic assessments — the Secretary of State selected the site of the old West Burton power station (announced October 2022).
Situated on the banks of the River Trent, West Burton is a former coal-fired power station. This makes it a natural fit for the UK’s prototype fusion energy plant — a rich industrial history can now be developed and repurposed for a low carbon future. Equally exciting is the fact that the West Burton site is part of the East Midlands Combined Authority. This new legal entity was created as part of ‘devolution’ — the spreading of government funding and powers across the country.
The communities in this area — affectionately known as ‘Megawatt Valley’ — have been powering the UK for 60 years. Locals are rightly proud of that heritage. The local communities proposed West Burton as the site for STEP and coined the term ‘fossil to fusion’ to represent the region’s history and future.
The STEP team is working closely with the people of nearby towns and cities — alongside authorities and businesses — to make sure the West Burton site provides an enormous opportunity for new growth and regeneration in the region.
Help us shape humanity’s next step
We host regular community engagement events to share information and to listen to feedback.
We want to provide an opportunity for everyone in the area to share their thoughts, and we’re proud of the fact that the response so far has been outstanding. The local and regional stakeholders and partners are welcoming STEP with open arms.
Conversations so far have identified four key themes that link STEP’s national policy objectives ,and the wishes and ambitions of the local community.
You can look at the vision for the site yourself, find out more about how STEP will provide thousands of jobs and skills opportunities for local people, or check out the FAQ section to browse questions frequently asked at our community events.
Inclusive Economy
STEP will deliver benefits to local people and the economy.
Health and Wellbeing
STEP will promote healthy and safe communities for employees, visitors and local people.
Environment
STEP will adopt innovation and best practice to seek climate change resilience, biodiversity and energy security.
Identity and Distinctiveness
STEP will respond positively to the character and heritage of the location.
FAQs
The following questions have been gathered from our regular STEP community events. These take place at locations close to West Burton such as Sturton-Le-Steeple, Retford and Gainsborough.
If you have a question to ask about STEP, please attend our next event or simply send an email to communications.step@ukifs.uk
Finding a home for STEP was one of the key objectives of the first phase of the programme and an open call for sites was launched at the end of 2020. Following an extensive siting process which included community and stakeholder engagement as well as technical and socio-economic assessments, the West Burton site was selected by the Secretary of State.
West Burton is a natural fit for the STEP programme with a rich industrial heritage now being developed and repurposed for a low carbon future. STEP provides an enormous opportunity for new growth and regeneration in the region. For more information about the siting process, please take a look at: https://step.ukaea.uk/step-siting
The West Burton site is still currently owned by EDF. The site has moved into the decommissioning phase with Brown and Mason delivering this work on behalf of EDF.
STEP has an established relationship with local councils and work closely with them in order to keep them well informed of developments at site.
The old coal station was built in the 1960s, the site owner (currently EDF) is returning the site to brownfield, ground level site. The demolition work, which we understand includes the cooling towers, is being carried out by Brown and Mason on behalf of EDF, which will be completed before the site is fully handed over to STEP for development.
The long-term risk associated with changing water levels is one of the important factors which will influence design development and site layout. A lot more work is required to develop the maturity of understanding and this work will take place over the coming years, and will be a part of STEP’s formal Development Consent Order application. For more information on how the site will evolve, please refer to the West Burton site vision.
Early works are underway to develop a better understanding of the existing transport networks, their opportunities and their constraints including river, rail, road and overground (bridges) and underground (tunnel) options. This will influence thinking on design development and site layout. The site is fortunate to have a local connection to the rail network, the use of which is being fully explored. More work is needed to understand how much material needs to be moved on and off site and what the best options are to mitigate any impacts.
At this stage of the powerplant and supporting buildings design, everything is on the table with regards to whether it would be a flagship build or opportunity to use screening designs. For more information, please refer to the local site vision.
One of the most important parts of what we will do is benefit the region around West Burton. We are already engaged with East Midlands Combined County Authority, Nottinghamshire County Council, Bassetlaw District Council, Lincolnshire County Council, West Lindsey District Council, Midlands Engine and other local networks. We are all working together to ensure STEP is a catalyst for regional development that fits with the longer-term planning in the area and we are committed to supporting regional leaders to ensure collective opportunities are realised to deliver that social and economic impact. We are very proud of the relationships already built, and the support that we have been given by local champions.
STEP is the only prototype fusion energy powerplant currently planned to be built at West Burton.
