The UK Atomic Energy Authority carries out fusion research in the UK on behalf of the government and manages the JET fusion project on behalf of the EU at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE).

The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) carries out fusion research in the UK on behalf of the government. Nuclear fusion, the process that powers the Sun, can play a big part in their carbon-free energy future. The Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) is one of the world’s leading fusion research laboratories. Their scientists and engineers are working with partners around the globe to develop fusion as a new source of clean energy for tomorrow’s power stations.

In addition, they are responsible for several civil nuclear pension schemes, and own land at the Harwell-Oxford and Culham Science Centre sites in Oxfordshire and are committed to furher develop these thriving science, technology and business parks.

Research at UKAEA

The UK Atomic Energy Authority, throught its fusion arm, Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) is a leader in magnetic confinement fusion research.

Fusion is the process that heats the Sun and all other stars, where atomic nuclei collide together and release energy.

Their work is part of a co-ordinated European programme led by the European Fusion Development Agreement. This is focused on providing Europe’s input to the next-step international fusion experiment, ITER, and the demonstration power station that will follow it, known as DEMO.

Main research activities at CCFE include:

• -experiments on the MAST spherical tokamak
• -participation in the JET research programme
• -a theory and modelling programme which studies key areas of plasma physics and predicts performance of future tokamaks such as ITER
• -studies of the materials and technology needed in ITER and fusion power stations

Fusion research at CCFE is funded jointly by EURATOM and by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.