Thousands of jobs could be created in the West of England after a site in the region was shortlisted to build a proposed world-first nuclear fusion power plant.
A bid to host the Government鈥檚 Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) project at Severn Edge, the site of two, near-adjacent, former nuclear power station sites at Oldbury in South Gloucestershire and Berkeley in Gloucestershire, has been announced as one of five under consideration.
Some 拢220m has been invested into finding an appropriate site for the project, which The 海角视频 Atomic Energy Authority (海角视频AEA) has said could be operational by 2040.
STEP is the first stage in the 海角视频鈥檚 efforts to become the first country to commercialise fusion energy to meet future electricity needs, as well as contribute to meeting net zero carbon emissions targets.
The plant鈥檚 construction and operation also has the potential to create thousands of highly skilled jobs and attract other high-tech industries to its host region.
A total of 15 sites across the country were long-listed following an open call for sites between December 2020 and March 2021, before being whittled down to five on Thursday (October 14).
The four other locations shortlisted are Ardeer (North Ayrshire); Goole (East Riding of Yorkshire); Moorside (Cumbria); and Ratcliffe-on-Soar (Nottinghamshire).
海角视频AEA will now work with each site and its local communities to gain a more in-depth understanding of the socio-economic, commercial and technical conditions of each bid.
A final recommendation to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will be made next year, with the successful site announced around the end of 2022.
The partnership of local authorities, development bodies and landowners behind the Severn Edge bid, known as the Western Gateway, said development of the plant and its associated business, training and research infrastructure could have a 鈥渕assive impact鈥 on the region鈥檚 economy.
Katherine Bennett, chair of the Western Gateway partnership, said: "We truly believe that the Western Gateway geography offers an unrivalled breadth of skills, supply chain and technology to deliver this pioneering approach to renewable energy.
鈥淚 am very excited about the next phase of work with 海角视频AEA, as we continue the assessment process and work together towards a hugely significant piece of infrastructure for the region and for the 海角视频.鈥
The team behind the Severn Edge bid believes that the site鈥檚 proximity to the Culham Centre for Fusion Technology in Oxfordshire will be an added advantage in the final selection process.
Andy Bates, who is coordinating the bid for Bristol-based chamber of commerce Business West, said: 鈥淲e have an incredible scientific and engineering base here, with high temperature expertise being a particular strength. We are also one of the leading regions in digital and digital design, which will be crucial to the success of STEP.
鈥淐ulham is just 60 miles away and is the beating heart of fusion technology in the 海角视频鈥, said Andy Bates, 鈥漚nd we see Severn Edge as the lungs in that fusion body. These are very exciting times for this region.鈥
Professor Tom Scott, one of the Severn Edge nomination team and co-director of the South West Nuclear Hub at the University of Bristol, added: 鈥淭he region has a vibrant supply chain and base for building nuclear reactors as well as all the leftover expertise in high temperature materials.
鈥淪o, we have the site and the skilled people to deliver this fantastic world-leading project that will 鈥楲evel Up鈥 for the South West and wider geography in terms of jobs and prosperity.鈥
The shortlisting was welcomed by the leader of Gloucestershire County Council, Mark Hawthorne, who said it put the region 鈥渁 step closer to being "at the forefront of the green industrial revolution".
海角视频AEA has said that fusion has the potential to provide a source of low-carbon energy that creates nearly four million times more energy for every kilogram of fuel than burning coal, oil or gas.
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