RESIDENTS in Gloucestershire are invited to provide feedback on new proposals for the UK’s first prototype fusion energy power plant, which may be built in the area.

A virtual community forum event will take place online on Thursday, February 10 between 6pm and 8pm.

Severn Edge, at Berkeley and Oldbury, is one of five sites across the UK shortlisted for STEP, or Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production, a UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) programme seeking to pave the way for the development of commercial power plants. It will also showcase how a future fusion power station could be operated and maintained.

The other sites are Ardeer in North Ayrshire, Moorside in Cumbria, West Burton in Nottinghamshire, and Goole in East Yorkshire.

UKAEA engineers and scientists involved in the project will engage with residents and stakeholders to discuss the benefits of producing energy in this way, and how the proposed prototype power plant would create thousands of highly skilled jobs and attract other high-tech industries to its host region.

The chosen STEP site will be selected by the Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

The final decision on the successful site is expected around the end of 2022. UKAEA will make recommendations based on a set of criteria, including support from the local community and the potential for socio-economic benefits in that locality.

Tristram Denton, head of commercial and programme development for STEP, said: “STEP is not just of strategic importance to UKAEA, but to the national and global efforts to harness fusion technology in the fight against climate change.”

Stakeholder and community engagement is one part of STEP’s site selection process, enabling UKAEA to raise awareness of the programme in each of the five shortlisted locations and gather initial feedback.

Each community forum is open to all and will include a presentation on the programme, details on the proposals and an open forum for questions and discussion.

This will enable attendees to learn more and provide feedback, which will form an important part of the assessment process as the team develops its final recommendations.

Residents in Gloucestershire and other local stakeholders can find out more by registering for the individual sessions which will take place via Microsoft Teams. See: bit.ly/3r2A8r9