KUALA LUMPUR (June 18): Khazanah Nasional Bhd-backed General Fusion will build a fusion demonstration plant (FDP) at the UK Atomic Energy Authority's (UKAEA) Culham Campus.

In a statement yesterday, General Fusion said that it will enter into a long-term lease with the UKAEA following the construction of a new facility on the campus to house the FDP.

General Fusion added that the FDP will demonstrate General Fusion’s proprietary magnetised target fusion (MTF) technology, which will pave the way for its subsequent commercial pilot plant. 

As such, it will also benefit from the cluster of fusion supply chain activities in the UK.

The FDP at Culham is the culmination of more than a decade of advances in General Fusion’s technology and represents a major milestone on its path to commercialisation.

It added that the FDP will verify that General Fusion’s MTF technology can create fusion conditions in a practical and cost-effective manner at power plant relevant scales, as well as refine the economics of fusion energy production, leading to the subsequent design of a commercial fusion pilot plant. 

Construction is anticipated to begin in 2022, with operations beginning approximately three years later.

General Fusion and the UKAEA intend to collaborate on a range of fusion energy technologies for power plant design and operations, General Fusion added.

General Fusion chief executive officer (CEO) Chistofer Mowry said coming to Culham gives it an opportunity to benefit from the UKAEA’s expertise.

“By locating on this campus, General Fusion expands our market presence beyond North America into Europe, broadening our global network of government, institutional and industrial partners. This is incredibly exciting news for not only General Fusion, but also global efforts to develop practical fusion energy,” Mowry said.

UK Science Minister Amanda Solloway said the new plant by General Fusion is a boost to the UK government’s plans to develop the fusion industry in the UK.

“Fusion energy has great potential as a source of limitless, low-carbon energy, and today’s announcement is a clear vote of confidence in the region and the UK’s status as a global science superpower,” Solloway said.

Meanwhile, UKAEA CEO Professor Ian Chapman said: "This is a great development for the UKAEA, very much in line with our mission to lead the development of sustainable fusion energy, and build on our long heritage of hosting major fusion facilities, such as the Joint European Torus."

The Culham Campus is home to the UK’s national fusion research programme, and is owned and managed by the UKAEA.

Khazanah is one of General Fusion’s backers, with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Sustainable Development Technology Canada also among its investors.