Finding STEP a Home
We’re on a journey to find a home for STEP somewhere in the UK.
We received a wide range of nominations from across the UK as a result of an open call for sites in early 2021. Following an initial phase of assessment of the longlist of 15 sites, five sites were shortlisted for further evaluation.
Listed alphabetically, these sites are:
The next, and final, phase of assessment will enable us to gain a more in-depth understanding of the socio-economic, commercial and technical conditions associated with each site. This will be concluded in spring 2022, enabling us to make a final recommendation to the Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy who will make a final decision on the successful site around the end of next year.
A second phase of assessment
A second phase of assessment is ongoing until Spring 2022, enabling a more in-depth understanding of the socio-economic, commercial, and technical conditions associated with each site.
An important aspect of this assessment is to understand the views of people living in and around each of the five shortlisted communities. In late January and early February, we will be undertaking a series of events to share more information about the programme and invite feedback on our current plans.
Due to Covid uncertainties, these community forums will now take place online and will include a presentation about fusion and STEP to provide information about our plans. We would like to invite feedback from each of the shortlisted sites to help us understand what local people think and feel about the possibility of their community becoming the future home of STEP.
The community forums will take place as follows – you can sign up to attend by clicking on the links below:
If you would like to provide feedback on anything you have heard or read here, please complete the form on this page.
Once we have completed this activity, and the technical assessment, we will make a final recommendation to the Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. A final decision on the successful site is expected by the end of this year.
If you have any questions about the programme, please Get in Touch
Resources
What will we look for in a site for STEP?
With the plant still in the design phase, it’s not possible to be too precise about the buildings and facilities we’ll need. The STEP design will continue to evolve over the next few years and we want our host community to come with us on that exciting journey.
Once the site is selected we will need to embark on a full consenting and planning process before any site development takes place. During this process we will undertake public consultation, gathering feedback and answering questions from the local community. This will provide residents and stakeholders with opportunities to influence and shape the detail of the site as the design develops.
Fusion Regulation
Fusion is a great technology for the future of both our planet and economy. It has the potential to produce large amounts of energy, powering the low carbon economies of the future.
Currently, there is no established regulatory regime for fusion. A consultation on this was issued by the Government in October, accompanying the first issue of the fusion strategy (Towards Fusion Energy)
STEP will be regulated under the fusion regime that is established in the coming years and will always maintain a safe, sustainable and environmentally responsible approach at its heart.
