Statement
My hon. Friend the Minister for Climate (Kerry McCarthy MP) made the following Statement today:
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is today publishing the government’s response to the consultation on the scope of the Fusion Energy National Policy Statement (NPS), EN-8. This progresses the government’s plan to develop a fusion NPS that will streamline the planning process and help break down the barriers to clean power projects of the future.
Fusion supports the government’s Plan for Change, Industrial Strategy and two of the Government’s Five Missions:
- Making the UK a Clean Energy Superpower by developing technology for fusion, other clean energy technologies and adjacent sectors, and accelerating to net zero in the longer-term through zero-carbon, abundant, safe, baseload energy.
- Kickstarting Economic Growth through innovation, highly skilled jobs, and tech transfer.
The UK has a genuine global strategic advantage in fusion and is recognised as a world leader in the most promising fusion energy technologies. With countries around the world increasing support and investment into fusion, the UK’s expertise and global standing cannot be allowed to atrophy.
That is why the UK Government has backed fusion R&D and commercialisation, making a record investment in R&D for fusion energy, investing over £2.5 billion over 5 years. This includes progressing the STEP programme (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production), the world-leading fusion plant in Nottinghamshire, creating thousands of new jobs and with the potential to unlock limitless clean power.
The UK’s STEP programme aims to develop and build a prototype fusion powerplant in the UK by 2040. Private fusion companies in the UK and overseas are also quickly developing demonstrator fusion facilities. To deliver these facilities, sites for fusion energy facilities will need to be identified and construction started this decade.
Recognising this need, the Government is taking a proactive stance – backing the industry – by establishing a stable regulatory and planning environment that supports and encourages its development. The UK was the first country in the world to legislate for fusion regulation, confirming that fusion would not be regulated under the same framework as nuclear fission due to its lower hazard potential. By differentiating from fission regulation and breaking down a needless barrier to clean power projects of the future, this new approach has led to increased interest from international companies siting in the UK and has strengthened the UK’s position as a world leader in fusion.
A fusion specific NPS is essential for providing clarity to developers and streamlining the planning process for fusion. Not only does this ensure certainty for developers to bring forward their fusion designs and align fusion with other complex energy generating technologies, but, crucially, will support local and national planning inspectors with guidance when assessing potential developments.
The consultation on the scope of EN-8 was undertaken between 7 May 2024 to 17July 2024 and began the process towards designation of this NPS, seeking views from stakeholders on broad policy proposals. In response to the feedback of consultees, the Government has taken the following decisions:
- The Government will continue the development of EN-8 – the Government recognises the differences in technology between fusion and other technologies already covered by other NPSs, meaning a fusion specific NPS is the only option to properly consider the planning implications of this technology.
- Technology inclusive – all fusion technologies, with exception to fusion-fission hybrids, will be in scope of EN-8.
- EN-8 will take a developer-led approach underpinned by robust strategic criteria to ensure suitable sites are selected with the utmost consideration for environmental and local impacts. This approach would allow siting in more communities across the UK subject to local support.
- Output agnostic – amend the Planning Act 2008 so that all fusion energy facilities generating at least 50 MW in England are incorporated into the National Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), independent of thermal or electrical output.