United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

UKAEA researches fusion energy and related technologies, with the aim of positioning the UK as a leader in sustainable nuclear energy. Our mission is to deliver sustainable fusion energy and maximise scientific and economic impact.

UKAEA manages the UK fusion programme at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) which is one of the world’s leading fusion research laboratories. Our 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.

UKAEA has hosted the JET (Joint European Torus) facility at Culham since its design started in 1973. First operation was in 1983 and since then it has set world records for plasma performance. UKAEA operates JET under a contract with the European Commission, with the science programme managed by the EUROfusion consortium.

The MAST facility, also based at Culham, is leading the world in research into tight aspect ratio tokamaks, and is currently undergoing a major upgrade. MAST Upgrade is expected to start operation in late 2020.

The facilities linked to our fusion research at Culham:

Remote Applications in Challenging Environments facility (RACE) is the UKAEA’s centre for Remote Applications in Challenging Environments. Exploiting the capabilities developed for the JET remote handling system, RACE makes it possible to carry out tasks in hazardous and extreme environments.

Hydrogen-3 Advanced Technology (H3AT) will be a world-first tritium research centre. It will study how to process, store and recycle tritium, one of the fuels that will supply fusion power stations.

Our Fusion Technology team is taking the UK’s fusion expertise into the age of power plant delivery. We enable industrial partners to test prototype components in the conditions found inside fusion reactors – getting a head start in the commercialisation of fusion energy. We offer a suite of testing facilities and capabilities for advanced engineering and manufacturing in the UK nuclear fusion industry and beyond.

Materials Research Facility (MRF), is a new UK facility for micro-characterisation of materials now open to university and industry users. It is part of the National Nuclear Users Facility (NNUF) initiative.