UK Government A New Energy Revolution: The UK’s Plan for Delivering Fusion Energy March 2026 Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (2026) © Crown copyright 2026 This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3. Where we have identified any third-party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. Economic growth is the central mission of this Government. The UK’s modern Industrial Strategy sets out a bold and credible plan to unlock long-term investment, drive productivity and grow the industries that will underpin sustained economic growth into the future. As a priority sub-sector in the Clean Energy Sector Plan, fusion energy is one of those industries. The UK’s position as a leader in fusion energy R&D is something we should be proud of. In 2021, the UK was the first country in the world to publish a fusion energy strategy, building on the R&D excellence of over 60 years at Culham in Oxfordshire and setting out a pathway to commercialisation. Since then, we have seen rapid progress and growing private sector involvement, reinforcing the UK’s position as a global leader in fusion innovation. Today, the UK is backing fusion research and commercialisation with over £2.5 billion over five years as part of the UK’s Plan for Change. Culham Campus is already driving economic growth and capability throughout the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor and right across the country. We are seeing private companies in the UK raise capital, generate revenue, and apply fusion-derived technologies across sectors. We are developing the STEP site at West Burton in Nottinghamshire which will bring thousands of jobs and industrial renewal to the site of a former coal power station. But the landscape continues to evolve. Other countries have published their own strategies with significant investment into fusion from China, Germany, Japan and the US. The challenge has shifted from research excellence to industrial leadership, through growing and supporting an ecosystem of SMEs; developing strong supply chains; and delivering a commercially viable fusion plant. The UK is ready to lead this next phase, building a thriving fusion industry from supply chains to developers, creating a skilled workforce, supporting commercialisation and deployment, and catalysing demand through the UK’s STEP programme. We are committed to making the UK the best place in the world to develop and deploy fusion energy. The UK has historically excelled in R&D capability but has not always capitalised its opportunities by turning a technical advantage into a commercial advantage. Fusion cannot be the next in a line of missed opportunities. It is a sector where the UK leads today and can capitalise on tomorrow. It will help us capture a greater share of foreign direct investment, support high-quality job creation, and strengthen our energy resilience. It is already catalysing investment, creating high-quality jobs, and driving innovation across the country. Fusion is a launchpad for more UK-based advanced manufacturing, greater sovereign engineering excellence, and global leadership in clean energy. It is a growth story rooted in British ingenuity, industrial ambition, and international leadership, and it is a story we are proud to support. This strategy, led by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and supported across Government, sets out how we will go further, taking decisions for long-term prosperity while delivering tangible benefits now: creating thousands of jobs, attracting new companies and capabilities, while turning the promise of fusion into reality. A reality not just enabled through commercialisation but through innovation, deployment and market creation. There is evidently a big job to do, requiring collaboration and commitment across government, industry, and academia. Such an undertaking with all its technical and commercial uncertainties will not be without setbacks. Those pursuing and supporting fusion, whether across government or in the private sector, should be bold and not fear these challenges but recognise that they are steps on a journey to a new industrial and energy revolution. And, like every major revolution before it, this will bring not only end-goal benefits but a wave of enabling technologies in its wake that reshape industries and societies. We are delighted that through this strategy, the pathway for achieving this is not only possible but clear and actionable. Lord Vallance of Balham Minister of State for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear Lord Livermore Financial Secretary to the Treasury Executive Summary — 2 The Government’s vision for fusion energy — 6 The UK’s plan for commercial fusion deployment — 14 - The role of UKAEA Group — 14 - Accelerating R&D — 21 - Growing investment, supply chains and skills — 30 - Policy innovation — 47 Conclusion — 52 Annexes — 53 - Annex A – Programme overview — 54 - Annex B – Summary of UK fusion actions and milestones — 55 - Annex C – Summary of UKAEA Group technical milestones — 58 The UK is a global leader in fusion energy, built on decades of experience, with unique technological capabilities and a growing fusion sector positioning the UK to capture significant opportunities for economic growth. No other country in the world combines the UK’s depth of public research, strategic approach to R&D priorities, scale of government investment, and commitment to first-of-a-kind deployment. That is why fusion is a frontier industry within our Industrial Strategy and is central to delivering its objectives of higher business investment, stronger supply chains, and good jobs across the UK. With timescales for fusion deployment shortening and investment around the world accelerating, this strategy sets out a clear plan for how the UK will continue to build an industry to remain at the cutting edge of fusion development, support investment and skills, and establish a world-leading policy framework with STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) at the heart of our approach. The UK’s Fusion Energy Objective: Accelerate growth of the UK fusion industry to capture the economic and strategic benefits of fusion through a globally competitive supply chain; UK based power plant design, subsystems and systems integration capabilities; and demonstrating commercial viability through STEP. We will do this in partnership with the private sector and will ensure that the UK is well positioned to capture the near-term economic benefits of rapidly developing fusion technology such as innovation, creation of secure, well-paid jobs, and the use of commercially valuable new fusion technology in adjacent sectors. We will position the UK capture the significant long-term economic and energy security benefits from a global market expected to be worth between £3tn and £12tn in the future. That is why the UK has announced record breaking funding of over £2.5bn for fusion over five years. The UK’s public sector fusion capability is underpinned by the world leading expertise of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Group which comprises of: - UKAEA National Fusion Laboratory – the largest dedicated fusion organisation in the world with decades of expertise through the operation of JET and a comprehensive suite of world-class facilities covering materials, robotics, plasma and tritium handling. Supported by £1.2bn of fusion funding, this strategy sets out how we will continue to leverage the leadership of UKAEA to coordinate R&D priorities and accelerate towards fusion commercialisation and UK global competitiveness. - UK Industrial Fusion Solutions (to become UK Fusion Energy) – UKIFS has been set up initially to deliver the STEP programme. Backed by £1.3bn of Government investment, UKIFS is uniquely placed as one of the best capitalised fusion companies in the world, with genuinely leading technical capabilities, the backing of UKAEA’s scientific expertise and the ability to call upon the coordinating power of Government. It will provide the foundation for the UK to develop first of a kind fusion power plants and directly stimulate the growth of the UK supply chain. Working with industrial partners, UKIFS will develop world leading capabilities as a fusion power plant integrator that can design and deploy fusion power plants globally, with the capability to raise external investment in future. To recognise this ambitious role and its future in the UK fusion energy sector, as part of this strategy we are announcing that we will rename UKIFS as UK Fusion Energy. Key Measures: Accelerate R&D: We will invest in the underpinning research and technology needed to solve remaining technical challenges. This includes: - Turbocharging the UKAEA’s status as a world-class centre of fusion R&D, reinforcing its position as a hub for high-tech innovation. This includes investment in unique fusion R&D capabilities such as £180m for tritium breeding through LIBRTI; new international partnerships such as the UKAEA’s new H3AT tritium facility working with Eni (Italy) and Kinectrics (Canada); and groundbreaking decommissioning of JET; - Partnering with industry to develop leading technologies such as magnet and gyrotron (microwave) test facilities at West Burton, using the focus provided by STEP and building on decades of world leading research; - Investing £45m in the new ‘Sunrise’ 1.4MW supercomputer, the largest fusion-dedicated AI supercomputer in the world, which will use advanced AI to accelerate fusion design, modelling, and operations; and developing a wider AI Growth Zone to power jobs and economic growth. Grow investment, supply chains and skills: Use public investment, including through STEP, to unlock private sector investment and stimulate a rich ecosystem of companies working in fusion, from SMEs to multinationals, supported by a pipeline of talent and skills, making the UK a top global destination for private developers, suppliers and investment. This includes: - A major new phase for STEP backed by £1.3bn, bringing significant economic benefits to the region around the STEP site at West Burton, including thousands of new jobs. This includes the appointment of industrial partners, purchase of the West Burton site, and plans to develop UK Fusion Energy (previously UKIFS) as a pioneering UK systems integrator, partnering with the private sector to develop critical capabilities. - A UK Fusion Investment Prospectus setting out the offer for global fusion companies and investors wanting to participate in the UK’s world-class fusion ecosystem. - Supporting fusion skills development including the UKAEA’s Fusion Opportunities in Skills, Training, Education and Research (FOSTER) programme, aiming to bring over 2000 newly trained individuals into the sector. In addition, working with the Nuclear Skills Taskforce and Department for Education to safeguard the fusion skills pipeline in the long term. - Unlocking the UK Public Finance Institutions such as the British Business Bank and National Wealth Fund to back British businesses and support investment into the fusion sector and supply chain. We will also explore regional incentives to attract more fusion investment to support the East Midlands fusion cluster building on the Government’s cornerstone investment into Starmaker One, a UK fusion investment fund. Policy innovation: Create a forward-leaning environment for the fusion sector to thrive, further developing the UK’s pro-innovation regulatory regime, streamlined planning, and developing the world’s first market framework for fusion energy. This includes: - Publishing a draft National Policy Statement for Fusion (EN-8) in Summer 2026 to simplify the planning regime for fusion companies locating in the UK and publish a roadmap setting out regulatory processes for developers. - Developing a plan for the UK to be the first country in the world to offer a market framework for fusion energy. By working with the fusion and energy sectors, consumer groups and other stakeholders we will provide providing leading incentives to site fusion facilities in the UK while balancing the need to protect future bill payers. - Engage the energy insurance market to encourage proportionate insurance of fusion outside of the nuclear pools and standard nuclear exclusion clauses. Alongside this, we will continue to work with trusted partners around the world, including through our fusion agreements with Canada, Germany, Japan, the US and others as agreed, welcoming the benefits of collaboration as a key part of our approach. We will continue to promote a proportionate approach to regulation through multilateral fora such as the G7 and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and explore working with other multilateral organisations such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and G20 where relevant to take a globally coordinated approach to fusion commercialisation. With the action set out in this strategy and continued focus on commercialisation of fusion technology for both short and long-term economic gain, the UK is ready to play a leading role in the global fusion market. The UK’s Fusion Energy Objective: Accelerate growth of the UK fusion industry to capture the economic and strategic benefits of fusion through a globally competitive supply chain; UK based power plant design, subsystems and systems integration capabilities; and demonstrating commercial viability through STEP. Introduction: The UK has exceptional R&D capabilities in fusion, which are already translating into UK economic growth. Since the publication of the UK’s first fusion strategy in 2021 the UK sector has developed substantially. We have expanded R&D capability, holistically addressing remaining technical challenges through world-leading facilities across plasma, robotics, materials and unique new capabilities like H3AT and LIBRTI, whilst demonstrating fusion decommissioning through JET. We have created STEP, the UK’s flagship programme which will demonstrate a fully integrated fusion power plant and catalyse the wider sector. This is being achieved in partnership with the private sector, with over 500 companies already involved in the UK fusion sector and more choosing to locate activities in the UK to benefit from this ecosystem. However, with global investment accelerating, timescales narrowing and the future global fusion market estimated to be worth between £3tn and £12tn in future, both the opportunity and competition are increasing rapidly. This strategy sets out the UK’s vision and plan to turn this foundation into real and enduring economic, commercial and strategic value for the UK, now and in the future. We will use over £2.5bn of Government investment, including through STEP and wider programmes, to stimulate a rich ecosystem of fusion related companies, from SMEs to multinationals, fusion developers to strong supply chains, making the UK a top global destination for investment. This sector will have the flexibility, capacity and capability to serve a future global fusion market, whatever the future mix of technologies. We will create demand by providing commercial and procurement opportunities for UK companies and making it cheaper and easier for fusion developers and others to operate in the UK. And we will support the supply of technology by turbocharging our world class R&D base with further investment and new facilities, supporting acceleration of commercialisation, investment and tech transfer in both the public and private sectors. By stimulating both supply and demand, we aim to support a long-term cycle of growth that will help anchor fusion companies and supply chains in the UK. As well as using STEP as a supply chain stimulus and demonstration for fusion technologies, we will develop UK Fusion Energy as a pioneering UK company with systems integration and subsystems capability, partnering with the private sector and able to raise external investment in future. Development stages: We envisage the UK fusion sector developing in three broad stages, each advancing the UK’s fusion programme and industry development in different ways and requiring different types of support from government and private investment. These stages are: - R&D and near-term technology commercialisation; - Fusion demonstration and deployment; - A UK and global fusion energy market. These are not simply sequential – they overlap and work on the later stages is already underway. Precise timings will be driven by emerging technology and the fusion market. However, the UK needs to be ready to support each of these stages. To do this and deliver the UK’s objective this strategy sets out three delivery themes: - Accelerating R&D; - Growing investment, supply chains and skills; - Policy Innovation. Figure 1: Representation of how the UK's fusion programme contributes to the UK's fusion objective across Accelerating R&D (Solving technical challenges, AI for fusion, Creating spin-out opportunities), Growing investment, supply chain and skills (IP strategy and licensing, Supply chain growth through STEP, Growing investment, Global talent and homegrown skills), and Policy Innovation (Market framework, Regulation, Planning and siting). R&D and Commercialisation: In the near term, we expect the UK fusion sector, including UKAEA Group and increasing numbers of private companies, to make significant strides towards delivery and the commercial exploitation of fusion technology for both fusion and adjacent markets. For example, we expect UKAEA and wider UK R&D to deliver key advances in plasma science, robotics, materials testing and tritium handling, and UK Fusion Energy will deliver core technical milestones for STEP. We will also see development of new UKAEA R&D capabilities in fusion fuel breeding, material testing and high-performance computing all of which are required for fusion commercialisation. Fusion companies are already producing spillover benefits from technology exploitation, providing near-term benefits from taxpayer and private sector investment. Private companies globally are also aiming to hit significant milestones demonstrating the key goal of net gain of energy and progressing their paths to deployment. The combination of credible technical progress and near-term commercial opportunities is also starting to attract larger industrial players necessary for deployment, building industrial capability and resilience. Government investment into UKAEA Group, including STEP, will be a key enabler in this stage, encouraging engagement beyond the immediate supply chain. There are specific opportunities for companies in high temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets; advanced materials; robotics; neutral beams; microwaves & gyrotrons, lasers; plasma processing; and AI for complex dynamic systems. Adjacent applications for these are meanwhile being developed in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, defence, energy systems, medical technology, space and telecoms. Demonstration and Deployment: As fusion technologies mature, we expect to see more development of integrated fusion systems, in the UK and worldwide. In partnership with the private sector, we will develop UK Fusion Energy as a national champion and systems integrator, underpinned by market leading sub-systems and technology provided by the wider UK sector. Delivering on our Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, we will back UK based industry and anchor a significant portion of the high-value supply chain in the UK, creating an industrial base used globally to provide major fusion components and systems integration. Areas of focus ready for commercialisation include neutral beam systems, remote maintenance and robotics, diagnostics and sensors, fusion fuel cycle systems, fusion hardened components and materials, key materials supply, and target and laser-based technology from STFC and its partners. A UK and global fusion market: Uses of fusion: Even without factoring in the growing needs of AI, global energy demand is expected to roughly double by 2050 and continue to grow onwards. AI will only add to that demand. Fusion energy’s unique characteristics – clean, abundant, reliable, and safe – make it well-suited to power not just homes and businesses, but also energy-intensive sectors such as industry and data infrastructure. Figure 2 illustrates wider technology and energy uses of fusion: high grade industrial heat, low carbon fuels production, battery storage, domestic and commercial use, keeping the lights on, STEM skills development, AI & robotics, medical applications, space and aerospace technology. Collaborating across the UK and Internationally: Decisions about deployment of fusion energy are matters for the different nations of the UK. However, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have significant skills and supply chain expertise. The UK Government will work with devolved governments to ensure all nations benefit. Figure 3 – Summary of UK fusion collaborations: - Canada: MoU (Feb 2024) - EU: UK hosted JET and remains open to collaboration with EU and ITER - Germany: Joint Declaration of Intent (2024), strengthened via Friendship and Bilateral Treaty (July 2025) - G7: UK active in Fusion Energy Working Group and wider G7 activities - IAEA: UK active in World Fusion Energy Group, Fusion Energy Conference, and international safety standards - IEA: UK active in fusion Technology Collaboration Programmes - Japan: Memorandum of Cooperation (July 2025) - RoK: Global Strategic Partnership and MoU (Nov 2023) - Sweden: Strategic Partnership (Oct 2023) and MoU (Oct 2025) - Singapore: Strategic Partnership (Sept 2023) - USA: Strategic Partnership (Nov 2023), strengthened via Technology Prosperity Deal (Sept 2025), plus LEAPS project with Tokamak Energy The UK’s plan for commercial fusion deployment rests upon sustained effort across government, industry, and public sector bodies. UKAEA Group is sponsored by DESNZ and comprises: - UKAEA National Fusion Laboratory: UK's main PSRE for fusion, based at Culham with other UK sites. Mission: Progress foundational research, technology and innovation in support of the UK fusion sector through world-leading fusion expertise and capability. - UKIFS (to become UK Fusion Energy): UKAEA Group subsidiary leading STEP delivery at West Burton. Mission: Deliver STEP and successive fusion power plants by acting as a national fusion systems integrator and working with industrial partners to develop and deploy the technologies and capabilities required. UKAEA Group mission: 'To lead the delivery of sustainable fusion energy to maximise scientific and UK economic benefit'. Key UKAEA facilities: - MAST-Upgrade (MAST-U) at Culham - Materials Research Facility (MRF) at Culham - Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE) at Culham - UKAEA South Yorkshire (Rotherham) - UKAEA-Eni Hydrogen-3 Advanced Technology (H3AT) at Culham - RAICo Robotics and AI at Whitehaven (Cumbria) - STEP site at West Burton (Nottinghamshire) - Future facilities: LIBRTI tritium breeding facility, Sunrise AI facility, Culham AI Growth Zone. Solving Technical Challenges: - Lithium Breeding for Tritium Innovation (LIBRTI): £180m investment (total DESNZ investment £220m) for designing tritium breeding blankets. - Sunrise AI facility: £45m investment into a 1.4MW supercomputer dedicated to fusion AI. - UKAEA-Eni H3AT Tritium Loop Facility: Tritium processing, storage, and recycling research centre. Table 1 – UKAEA core deliverables: - Plasma (MAST-U, STEP): Develop fusion physics knowledge with MAST-U. By June 2028: Complete the 5th and 6th MAST-U experimental campaigns. UK strategic outcome: Derisk STEP technical design and continue to develop IP. UK capability: A self-sustaining burning plasma configuration for spherical tokamaks. Commercial support: Help enable 'net gain' for spherical tokamaks. - Tritium (LIBRTI, H3AT, STEP, JDR): Commercialise UK-based tritium capability. By May 2026: Commercialise UKAEA-developed Tritium Technology by partnering with industry. UK strategic outcome: Attract investment and establish international leadership in a nascent market. UK capability: Full tritium fuel cycle and handling capabilities. Commercial support: All fusion plants will require fuel breeding. - Materials (MRF, LIBRTI, CHIMERA, STEP): Build globally unique LIBRTI facility. By July 2027: Demonstrate Multiphysics Platform to predict LIBRTI tritium output. By March 2028: Complete LIBRTI building at Culham to begin neutron source installation. UK strategic outcome: First mover advantage in fuel breeding. UK capability: Commercially feasible fuel breeder design, materials able to withstand fusion conditions. - Robotics (RACE, RAICo, STEP): Commercialise UK-based robotics capability. By December 2027: Commercialise UKAEA developed robotics capabilities for application into fission, fusion, clean energy, and tech markets. UK capability: Suite of robotic solutions for maintenance and decommissioning. - Fusion Integration, Engineering, and Deployment (STEP): Technology Development. By Summer 2028: UK Fusion Energy will complete magnet and gyrotron test facility construction at West Burton. UK strategic outcome: Demonstrate technical risk reduction, increase investment potential, develop test bed capability. UK capability: Holistic detailed powerplant design. Advancing AI for Fusion: - By June 2026, UKAEA will begin operations of Sunrise, expected to be the most powerful fusion-dedicated AI supercomputer in the world. - Culham Campus announced as the UK's first AI Growth Zone (AIGZ). - Case Study: GyroSwin 5D non-linear gyrokinetic surrogate model developed with JKU Linz and Emmi AI using vision transformers. - Case Study: UPLiFT (UK Programme of Laser Inertial Fusion Technology for Energy) by CLF at STFC, utilizing 2-photon polymerisation 3D printing for target fabrication. The global fusion sector has raised nearly $10bn in private capital. The UK strategy leverages public finance to crowd in private investment. Creating Demand Signals: - STEP will create thousands of jobs, redeveloping West Burton, Nottinghamshire. - Deliverables for STEP: * By April 2026: Select and contract long-term Construction Partner; fully integrated by October 2026. * By Summer 2028: Complete magnet and gyrotron test facility construction at West Burton. * By Spring 2028: Agree strategic relationships with critical suppliers of fusion technologies. * By March 2029: Submit Development Consent Order (DCO) for STEP Fusion. Creating Regional Incentives: - Industrial Strategy Zones (Freeports and Investment Zones) across 22 places. - Exploration of further regional incentives for the East Midlands fusion cluster. Case Studies: - Tokamak Energy: Oxford spin-out, 300 employees, £280m+ raised. Demo4 HTS magnet system; ST40 spherical tokamak achieving world records in plasma current, stored energy, and triple product; TE Magnetics division. - First Light Fusion (FLF): Developing Inertial Fusion Energy via projectile-driven target amplification and the FLARE reactor concept. Public Finance Institutions Support: - British Business Bank (BBB): Equity and debt financing for SMEs (£3m–£60m tickets). - National Wealth Fund (NWF): Supply chain and spin-out technology scale-up. - Great British Energy (GBE): Commercialisation in clean energy crossovers. - UK Export Finance (UKEF): Export loans, insurance, and buyer guarantees. - Innovate UK: Grants and commercialisation support. - Government investment of £20m in Starmaker One fusion fund. - £4.9m Place Based Impact Acceleration Account (PBIAA) for robotics & AI in Cumbria/Oxfordshire. Developing Fusion Skills: - Private sector requires 3,000 additional people by 2030; STEP supports ~8,000 peak construction jobs in 2030s and ~1,500 operational roles. - UKAEA FOSTER programme (£40m from DESNZ): Goal to support 2,000 more apprenticeships, graduates, PhDs by July 2027. - Oxford Advanced Skills (OAS) centre at Culham: Over 500 apprentices currently enrolled. - Fusion Power Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) at Univ. of York: 300+ PhDs trained. - Plans to expand Energy Skills Passport to fusion and incorporate fusion into the English national curriculum in 2028. A Future Market Framework: - The UK Government will develop a plan to be the first country to offer a market framework for fusion energy, exploring fair pricing mechanisms to protect bill payers while derisking investment. Regulation: - Fusion is regulated under the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Environment Agency (EA) separate from nuclear fission. - DESNZ will publish a regulatory roadmap for fusion powerplants by Summer 2026. - Regulators will publish initial engagement processes by Summer 2026. Planning and Siting: - Draft National Policy Statement for Fusion (EN-8) to be published by Summer 2026 for consultation, targeting formal designation in 2027 under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime. - NESO will incorporate fusion into future updates of the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP). Security, Liabilities and Grid Connections: - Establishing a fusion-specific security framework and non-proliferation protections. - Clarifying that fusion is suited for conventional energy insurance markets outside nuclear fission pool exclusions. - Mechanism to ensure decommissioning costs are met by fusion operators by Autumn 2027. - Reforming grid queue via Ofgem 'End to End' Review and the new Connections Accelerator Service (CAS). Conclusion: The strategy positions the UK at the forefront of global fusion commercialisation through STEP, targeted R&D, skills development, public-private investment, and policy leadership. Annex A – Programme Overview: Indicative logic model mapping inputs (DESNZ funding, DSIT funding, UK Government policy, private funding) through outputs, impacts, outcomes, and Government Missions (Kickstarting Economic Growth, Making the UK a Clean Energy Superpower). Annex B & C – Summary of Milestones (2026–2030): - 2026: Sunrise operational at Culham; UK Fusion Energy selects Construction Partner; Publish draft EN-8 and regulatory roadmap; Commercialise tritium technology. - 2027: LIBRTI Multiphysics platform; Support 2,000 FOSTER trainees; Commercialise robotics capabilities; Identify decommissioning funding mechanism. - 2028: Complete magnet/gyrotron test facility at West Burton; Complete 5th/6th MAST-U campaigns; Complete LIBRTI Culham building; Strategic supplier relationships agreed; Curriculum revision takes effect. - 2029: Submit STEP DCO; Tranche 2a benefits realised & Tranche 2b approved. - 2030: Virtual plasma simulator verified; TF model coil tested; Major construction commencement.