November 26, 2025

STEP Fusion: what are the prospects for fusion energy by 2040?

STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) Fusion is the UK’s flagship programme to deliver a prototype fusion energy plant by 2040.

The STEP Programme is a public-private programme to develop, scale and deliver a UK-led fusion energy industry.  The aim is to demonstrate that fusion can deliver clean, safe, and abundant energy and do so in a way that is economically viable and scalable.

Unlike traditional nuclear power, fusion works by combining light atomic nuclei replicating the process that powers the sun. The programme uses a spherical tokamak, a compact and efficient magnetic confinement system, to contain and control the ultra-hot plasma needed for fusion reactions.  Those running STEP Fusion emphasise that it’s not just about energy, it’s about innovation, skills, and regional growth, creating a fusion supercluster centred around West Burton in Nottinghamshire and driving investment in advanced manufacturing, materials science, and high-tech engineering.

The SMC invited the leading scientists behind STEP Fusion, plus one independent expert, to mark the first anniversary of the project by coming to the SMC to brief journalists and answer questions such as:

• Will fusion energy ever become a viable energy source or will it forever be 30 years away?
• Will we end up using more energy than we generate?
• What are the main science, materials and engineering challenges which the project has to overcome – and how will they be addressed?
• Is fusion really a route to nuclear energy without generating any nuclear waste – or will it just make a different kind of radioactive waste?
• Isn’t it just too expensive to build and maintain and difficult to scale up? And who’s going to foot the bill?
• Do we really need this when we have ordinary nuclear energy?
• What are the risks to health and environment of radioactivity from the plant?

Speakers included:

Paul Methven, CEO and Senior Responsible Officer for STEP Fusion

Prof Howard Wilson, Director of Science and Technology at STEP Fusion

Prof Amy Gandy, Head of Programming Materials Science and Engineering (UKAEA)

Dr Aneeqa Khan, Lecturer in Nuclear Materials, School of Engineering, The University of Manchester