UKAEA: Powering Fusion’s New Dawn
Britain’s fusion sector faces its toughest challenge yet: turning scientific milestones into viable energy solutions amid mounting global crises.
The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) stands at a critical juncture. After years of groundbreaking research and world-leading experiments, Britain’s fusion ambitions now face their greatest test: converting scientific promise into commercial reality.
Fusion energy, long hailed as the ultimate clean power source, must move beyond laboratories into scalable, grid-connected plants. Doing so demands more than technical excellence — it requires a functioning industrial ecosystem, massive private investment, swift regulatory innovation, and unwavering political will.
The stakes have never been higher.
Ian Chapman, Chief Executive of UKAEA, reminded the audience at Fusion Fest in London, quoting Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley: "I don't talk about climate change. Change happened a long time ago. Crisis is where we are, and crisis is what we have to fight."
New global realities only sharpen this urgency. As the British physicist pointed out, nations are walking a tightrope between decarbonising quickly and protecting their economies in the near term.
"It has become a challenge: do you do good and try to decarbonise? Or do you do well and protect your economy?" he noted.
China’s energy policy starkly illustrates the tension: in a single year, it added 350 gigawatts of renewables—nearly five times Europe's addition—while also approving 95 gigawatts of new coal power. This duality shows that even aggressive renewable rollouts are insufficient without broader systemic change.
For the UK, sustaining leadership in fusion will require a complete rethink of how it partners industry, government, and academia to invent fusion technologies and deliver them to market at a competitive price.
Building a fusion economy
To meet these demands, Britain is embracing a mission-oriented industrial strategy designed to solve technical challenges and create economic momentum.
"Industrial strategy can be an engine for economic growth," the UKAEA chief said. "It can transform challenges into opportunities for public and private sectors to invest, innovate and collaborate, and share the risks and rewards."
One cornerstone of this approach is Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd (UKIFS), a newly established company that will act as the system integrator for Britain's first commercial fusion power plants.
"The people that build power plants just don't exist in fusion today," he explained. UKIFS is tasked with contracting engineering and construction partners to deliver functioning plants like the flagship STEP project.
This tiered industrial ecosystem—from integrators to system builders (robotics, magnets, heat exchangers) to innovative start-ups—is designed to ensure that Britain captures value at every stage. Skills development programs, targeted innovation funding, and a bespoke regulatory framework to accelerate commercial readiness support all this.
However, the physicist issued a sharp warning: none of this will matter if fusion remains a purely technical success without economic viability.
"Fusion has to exist in the energy market. It has to be sustainable. Has to stand alone and be competitive on cost, or nobody will buy it," he said.
He criticised the prevalent focus on scientific achievement, stating, "Almost the worst thing you can do as a tech company is develop a product nobody wants. "
He emphasised that new technologies must find buyers—and soon.
Fortunately, momentum is building. In just the past two months, Britain launched the Starmaker One fund for fusion startups, partnered with Italy’s Eni to create the world’s largest tritium research facility, and began developing an AI growth zone to bolster fusion and adjacent sectors. "All very symbiotic," he noted, pointing to the broader economic spillover these investments are already generating.
Chapman’s next mission
As the fusion sector prepares for its next phase, UKAEA is also undergoing a leadership transition. After nearly two decades at the organisation, Chapman is stepping down to take the helm of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which directs national investment in sciences, engineering, medicine, and technology.
His appointment signals a strong government commitment to mission-driven, commercially focused research, drawing directly from the lessons learned in fusion energy development.
The British physicist reflected on his tenure with visible pride. Under his leadership, UKAEA evolved from operating a single major tokamak to a multi-pronged institution with centres of excellence in robotics, superconducting materials, plasma science, tritium fuel management, and regulatory development.
However, when asked about his proudest achievement, he pointed not to technical records but cultural transformation: "The organisation that I leave, I would characterise as entrepreneurial, outward-looking, and collaborative. All of this stuff requires a massive community, right? It requires collaboration on a global scale."
Leaving UKAEA is not without emotion. Reflecting on his time in fusion research, he compared the journey to Liverpool FC’s historic comeback in the 2005 Champions League final: "My half life in fusion tells me that most of the time it feels like being three-nil down at half time," he said. "It feels impossible, but you do have a 1% chance of getting there."
He closed by addressing the room full of funders, engineers, policymakers, and researchers: "Companies and those who invest in them, those who lend to them, who are part of the solution, will be rewarded. Those lagging behind and still part of the problem will be punished. Make your choice, folks."
With Chapman’s departure, the UK fusion community faces a new era—one in which leadership, investment, and execution must align to deliver on the sector’s long-promised potential.