By Energy People.
UK Fusion Energy has opened procurement for five engineering partner roles supporting STEP, the proposed prototype fusion plant at West Burton in Nottinghamshire. The programme announced the opportunity on 12 November, with a combined estimated value of up to £115m excluding VAT.
The government tender notice allocates up to £20m each to the breeder blanket and fuel cycle packages, £35m to test operations, £15m to plant controls and £25m to systems engineering and whole-plant integration. These figures include expenses and optional extensions.
Each package is structured as a single-supplier framework with an initial two-year term and two possible one-year extensions. A bidder normally cannot win more than three lots, subject to the tender’s stated exceptions. UK Fusion Energy reserves the right to make no award for individual lots.
Tenders are due by 5pm on 29 January 2027; the enquiry deadline is 5pm on 8 January. The notice gives an estimated award decision date of 6 April 2027. Suppliers must complete the required non-disclosure agreement before receiving the detailed procurement documents.
The work spans fuel handling, controls, testing and integration of the plant’s systems. STEP aims to deliver a prototype by 2040. This is a tender opportunity for that development programme, rather than an announcement of awarded contracts or an operating fusion power station.
Sources: STEP announcement, 12 November 2026; UK Government Find a Tender notice 107283-2026.
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Image credit: Illustrative fusion-research file photograph: interior of MIT’s Alcator C-Mod tokamak, 5 April 2012. This is not STEP or the proposed West Burton plant. Mike Garrett / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Resized and compressed.
