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.
The next STEPs
The second, and final, phase of site assessment is now complete with internal management reviews now taking place ahead of submission of our recommendations to the Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy.
One important aspect of this phase of assessment was to understand the stakeholder and community sentiment around each of the five shortlisted sites. In late January and early February, we undertook a series of events to share more information about the programme and invite feedback on our current plans.
This feedback helps us to understand the thoughts and feelings of the communities as potential future homes of STEP. The feedback forms part of the overall analysis of each site that will feed into our final recommendations.
If you have any questions about the programme, please Get in Touch
Resources
Q&A from STEP Siting Community Events
Ardeer – Key Themes
Energy & Safety
Q: Will the fusion industry rely on the fission industry to provide it with the tritium needed to fuel the plant?
A: Perhaps initially, but once the fusion industry is up and running, the machine will create its own fuel using breeder blankets to create tritium.
Q: If this is a prototype plant, how safe is it?
A: Inherently safe. There cannot be a run-away chain reaction with fusion. The challenge we face with fusion is getting it to work, whereas the challenge with fission is controlling the reaction.
Wildlife & Biodiversity
Q: What steps are being taken to mitigate the effect on local wildlife and biodiversity on the Ardeer Peninsula?
A: We are currently at an extremely early point in the programme. If Ardeer is selected, we will need to begin the planning process under the Scottish Planning Policy to gain permission to begin significant works at the site.
This will involve significant pre-application consultation, so there will be many opportunities for the programme to understand concerns about local wildlife and biodiversity, ensuring the right mitigations are put in place to minimise the impact.
Scotland
Q: Doesn’t this plant contradict the Scottish Government’s Anti-Nuclear Policy?
A: The Scottish Government’s current position on fusion is neutral.
Jobs & Opportunities
Q: Will locals be getting trained for the jobs or are you going to be bringing people in from the rest of the UK and abroad?
A: There is a commitment from the programme to ensure that the STEP development provides clear upskilling and employment opportunities for local people. We have already said that this would include apprentice and graduate schemes and, if Ardeer were selected, we would look to engage with local further and higher education providers at the earliest opportunity to begin to make this a reality. Of course, the development offers not only a wide range of science and engineering opportunities, but the whole range of roles that exists in any other business or organisation, from catering to project management and communications.
Q: What about the Special Development Order on the site?
A: We would not make use of the Special Development Order that currently covers the site. We would look to undertake a full Environmental Impact Assessment, as required under Scottish Planning Policy for a development like this. Our approach will also include significant pre-application consultation, with numerous opportunities for the community to engage with the programme as the plans develop in the coming years.
Moorside – Key themes
Habitat and green spaces
Q: Will the project be detrimental to local fauna and flora, and will there be sustainable transport for employees travelling to the site?
A: We are currently at an extremely early point in the programme. If Moorside is selected as the future home of STEP, we will need to begin the process of applying for a Development Consent Order (DCO), the way in which significant infrastructure projects like this are consented.
The DCO process involves significant pre-application consultation and so there will be many opportunities for the programme to understand concerns about local wildlife and biodiversity, ensuring the right mitigations are put in place to minimise the impact.
In terms of transport, we understand there are concerns about the existing road network and we’ll work with the local authorities to see how we can best mitigate any additional impact we’ll have on the roads. This is likely to include consideration of other modes of transport, including trains and buses.
Q: How close to the river Ehen is the Moorside site?
A: The river Ehen runs along the coast to the west of the Moorside site.
Community
Q: How will the STEP fusion reactor affect the health and lives of local people in the near vicinity?
A: We have been running the JET fusion machine for 40 years, a stone’s throw from the hamlet of Culham and a mile from the town of Abingdon. There is no research to suggest that a fusion plant poses any risk to the health of those in the local community.
It’s likely that, during construction, there will be some disruption in terms of traffic, and we’ll work with the local authorities to see how we can best mitigate any additional impact we’ll have. This is likely to include consideration of other modes of transport, including trains and buses.
Skills and development opportunities
Q: Will UKAEA take the lead on developing and training people in the skills needed to work on the project, or will that be left to the local education infrastructure?
A: UKAEA will support apprenticeships and opportunities for young people throughout the lifetime of the programme and beyond. This will be achieved by working alongside local schools and universities to ensure the best possible path to offering young people the opportunity to train in the skills we need.
Energy
Q: Will fusion need a similar licensing regime to fission?
A: No. The government recently consulted on the proposed regulatory framework for fusion energy, which proposed the lead regulators as the Health and Safety Executive, together with the Environment Agency. You can read the report HERE.
Q: Where would the energy come from to initially power the plant, and how much would it need?
A: It’s likely that the energy we’ll need to power the plant initially will be drawn from the national grid together with a secondary power supply. The details of this are not yet known as the programme is still in the concept design phase.
Q: Is the Moorside site already contaminated with radionuclides from Sellafield?
A: If the Moorside site is selected by the Secretary of State we will undertake detailed site characterisation work to ensure we fully understand the site and any legacy it may have.
Goole – Key themes
Local area and residents
Q: Will those whose houses are directly on the doorstep of STEP be compensated?
A: If this site is selected by the Secretary of State, we will look in more detail about how the land that has been nominated will be developed. To date, we haven’t developed any specific site layouts and when we get to that point, we will have a much clearer understanding of the potential impact of the development on the residents of Rawcliffe and Goole. We will always look to minimise any impacts on the people living closest to the site.
Q: What impact will this have on local farming considering the proposal is on a greenfield site and not a brownfield site?
A: We are in discussion with the relevant landowners and will discuss the impacts of our programme with the council in terms of the development of a greenfield site.
Q: It seems the village of Rawcliffe is going to be most affected by this project – why hasn’t that been mentioned?
A: The Goole site, which stretches to the west towards the village of Rawcliffe, is a huge site. We understand people in that community have concerns about the potential development and, if the site is selected by the Secretary of State, we will engage at the earliest opportunity to understand those concerns further, ensuring the impact of STEP is minimised as far as possible.
Energy
Q: What form of current drive is STEP planning to use for long-pulse scenarios?
A: STEP is still in its concept design stages so, right now; we haven’t decided which current drive will be used for long pulse scenarios.
Q: Is this technology safe considering there have been no precedents? What if things go wrong?
A: There are more than 40 tokamaks around the world, operating right now. The European machine JET, which is operated by UKAEA in Oxfordshire, has been operating for 40 years and consistently proving we can make fusion happen. One of the brilliant things about fusion is that it is inherently safe, if the conditions inside the machine changes in any way, the process stops almost immediately.
The question is not whether we can do fusion, but rather how we develop it on a commercial scale, creating a global fusion industry.
Q: Will the town get cheaper energy from this?
A: STEP is a prototype plant and, while it will produce net energy to the national grid, it will not be a commercial plant supplying electricity on a regular basis.
Location
Q: Why aren’t you looking to build on the decommissioned Eggborough power station site? There is already a power supply infrastructure in place there and the current proposed site is agricultural land in a rural farming area.
A: The simple answer to this question is that the Eggborough site was not nominated for consideration for STEP.
Q: What are the reasons for choosing this site?
A: The criteria for sites to be nominated included a number of simple elements, including the need for at least 100 hectares to be available for development. This site is significantly larger than that and also benefits from having good transport links and access to people and skills.
Q: What about flooding?
A: One part of our technical assessment of the site has been around flooding and, if this site is selected, we will undertake the necessary work to ensure that the site and surrounding areas are protected from flooding.
Q: When will we be able to see detailed site maps of the exact location of the plant?
A: Our job right now is to complete the assessment of the sites and make a recommendation to the Secretary of State. If he selects the Goole site as the future home of STEP, we will move quickly to draft initial layouts of the site and engage with the community on those. We’re anticipating a decision on the successful site before the end of 2022.
Opportunities
Q: How can I be more involved?
A: There will be plenty opportunity for you to be involved throughout the process. You can get in touch with us via our STEP Portal or contact your local council to find out how you can be more involved locally.
Q: Will there be apprenticeship opportunities available?
A: Absolutely, yes. The STEP programme will support apprenticeships and opportunities for young people throughout the lifetime of the programme and beyond. This will be achieved by working with local schools and universities to ensure the best possible path to offering young people the opportunity to train in the skills we need.
Q: Will the University of York be directly involved in this project?
A: STEP will collaborate with many universities in the coming years and, should the Goole site be selected, it is very likely that the University of York will be one of those collaborators.
West Burton – Key themes
Environment & local biodiversity
Q: What will be done to ensure that local flora and fauna are protected?
A: We are currently at an extremely early point in the programme. If West Burton is selected as the future home of STEP, we will need to begin the process of applying for a Development Consent Order (DCO), the way in which significant infrastructure projects like this are consented.
The DCO process involves significant pre-application consultation and so there will be many opportunities for the programme to understand concerns about local wildlife and biodiversity, ensuring the right mitigations are put in place to minimise the impact.
Village life & local community
Q: Most of us moved to a village because we value village life – how will the life of the village community be preserved?
A: We’re committed to working together with our host community to ensure the benefits of the programme are maximised and the impacts are minimised. We’ll liaise with our community from the very earliest opportunity and work hard to build a good relationship to ensure any concerns or questions are quickly and effectively addressed.
Location
Q: Will this project result in increased traffic through North Leverton?
A: It’s too early for us to have developed detailed transport plans however, as a point of principle, we will always look to minimise any construction impacts on local villages.
Q: How big will the structure be in comparison to West Burton A site?
A: STEP will look similar in size and scale to any other power station facility, including West Burton A. In addition to the tokamak, there will be a range of other buildings on site, including a turbine hall, space for cryogenic cooling, and office and catering facilities.
Q: How much will local industry, economy, and academia factor into the final siting decision, and will the assessment and criteria be made public once the decision is made?
A: There are a broad range of criteria to be taken into consideration as we make our final recommendations to the Secretary of State, for his decision. This part of the country is strong in terms of academic links and established industry, and this contributed to West Burton’s inclusion on the shortlist.
Once the successful site has been announced, our assessment and recommendations will be made available.
Opportunities
Q: What / how many opportunities will there be for young people interested in STEM?
A: We are keen to make strong links with local schools, colleges, and universities so there will be a plethora of opportunities for young people to get involved with the programme at every stage. We will also support apprentices and graduates wanting to start careers in STEM.
The programme will support many different kinds of opportunities for young people interested in STEP, from outreach in schools to apprenticeships and graduate schemes. This will be achieved by working with local schools and universities to ensure the best possible path to offering young people the opportunity to train in the skills we need.
Q: How many jobs will be available for locals?
A: We anticipate that there will be hundreds of jobs available in the design and operation phases of the programme, with thousands of opportunities through the construction period. We will look to work with partners locally to ensure that as many of these opportunities as possible are provided to people in the locality.
Safety & Science
Q: What are the odds of this plant becoming a target for terrorists, and what would the result of such an attack be in terms of fallout and waste?
A: We will develop the appropriate plans to ensure that the site is protected against any potential threats, including those such as a terrorist attack.
The number of radioactive materials within the machine is very small and so, in the extremely unlikely event of an incident like this, the impact on the local community would be very low.
Q: Will this facility support hydrogen production?
A: At this moment in time STEP is being built as a prototype to demonstrate that it’s possible to generate around 100MW electricity to the national grid. However, in the longer term, we are considering ways in which the fusion process could be used to support other technologies, including the production of hydrogen.
Q: What partners and science team will lead the build?
A: STEP is a UKAEA programme and is 100% government funded. It is likely that, in order to deliver STEP, we will need to work with a wide range of companies and organisations across the UK and internationally. This is likely to include industrial partners and scientists from around the world, with UKAEA remaining as the expert fusion partner.
Q: What waste will be produced and how will it be disposed of?
A: The fusion reaction creates an energetic neutron and helium so does not, in itself, produce any hazardous waste. Fusion doesn’t create any long-term radioactive waste that needs to be managed for thousands of years at the Geological Disposal Facility however, the neutrons in the plasma do interact with the walls of the machine and activate them. These irradiated materials will need to be managed through the operating life of STEP and will be safely stored on site.
Severn Edge (Oldbury and Berkeley) – Key themes
Jobs & Opportunities
Q: How will this project create jobs for the local community?
A: There is a commitment from the programme to ensure that the STEP development provides clear upskilling and employment opportunities for local people. We have already said that this would include apprentice and graduate schemes and, if this site were selected, we would look to engage with local further and higher education providers at the earliest opportunity to begin to make this a reality.
Q: What about qualified engineers – will there be a job for me?
A: Absolutely. The development offers not only a wide range of science and engineering opportunities but also every role that exists in any other business or organisation, from catering to project management and communications! There will be jobs ranging from constructions, right through to professional support, engineers, and physicists.
Science & Technology
Q: Nobody has made this technology work yet – what makes you think it’s going to work this time; on the ambitious time scale you have laid out?
A: There are more than 40 tokamaks around the world, operating right now. The European machine JET, which is operated by UKAEA in Oxfordshire, has been operating for 40 years and consistently proving we can make fusion happen. The question is not whether we can do fusion, but rather how we develop it on a commercial scale, creating a global fusion industry.
Q: What does the recent announcement about JET’s power output mean for STEP?
A: The recent JET announcement showed that the changes they had made within the machine (changing the internal walls to encourage more energy to be produced) was successful. As part of a European programme of fusion research and development, this is a crucial step for the ITER programme being built in the South of France. It is also important to STEP as the team continues to work towards a full concept design.
Q: Would you be using CEEQUAL for this build?
A: We’ll ensure that all our facilities are built with the highest sustainability and construction standards in mind.
Site & Location
Q: Please confirm the site area required for STEP at Oldbury-on-Severn
A: The criteria that a site had to meet in terms of size was a minimum of 100 hectares. Oldbury is comfortably bigger than that and we would look to use all the available space in construction. However, once we move into operations it’s likely the site will shrink in size.
Q: If this site is chosen, what emergency planning provisions will apply to the site and how will those relationships be maintained?
A: It’s not yet clear what the regulatory regime for fusion will be and much of our emergency planning provision will come about as a result of that. The existing UKAEA site at Culham does have an off-site plan and so it is likely that the STEP site will need to develop one too, working in partnership with the local authority and emergency services.
Q: Will any footpath or access to the Severn footpath be affected?
A: If this site is selected, it’s likely that there will be some disruption to footpaths during construction, however we don’t yet have any details around that. Once the successful site is announced we will begin to work on the site development plans, which will include extensive public consultation on all topics of interest to the local community.
Q: How will you manage the increased traffic through Berkeley town?
A: Access to the sites and plans to manage traffic will be developed once a site is selected for STEP. Full analysis of traffic flows will need to be undertaken as part of our Environmental Impact Assessment and where issues
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.
