SNC Lavalin : Consortium appointed as Engineering Delivery Partner to UKAEA STEP Programme

11 August 2022: A consortium of fusion experts, led by Atkins - a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group; and energy transition specialists Assystem, has been appointed by UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) as Engineering Delivery Partner to its pioneering Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) programme as it seeks to demonstrate the commercial viability of fusion energy.

The delivery partner will play a critical role in STEP's ambitions to design and build a commercial-scale prototype fusion energy plant by 2040 over the next two years: completing a concept design is one of two key Tranche 1 objectives to achieve by 2024 that will enable UKAEA to proceed to future phases and meet its ambitious targets. Fusion technology has the potential to provide abundant, low-carbon energy - maintaining the UK's net zero efforts in the long-term and underpinning future energy security.

The consortium is led by Atkins as prime contractor, alongside international engineering and digital services firm Assystem. Atkins and Assystem have a long history of successful collaboration across nuclear and fusion energy projects, including their work as architect-engineer for the international fusion energy project ITER, through the Engage consortium.

The STEP EDP consortium combines this world-leading expertise with specialist knowledge from partners across the supply chain: fusion In-Vessel Component materials technology and safety specialist Oxford Sigma; In Vessel Components and tritium specialists Kyoto Fusioneering; and Ansaldo Nuclear. Combined, the consortium will bring over 30 years' experience in fusion delivery from across JET, ITER, STEP and DEMO.

Christophe Junillon, Managing Director of Nuclear & Power EMEA for Atkins, said: "The commercialization of fusion energy holds the key to unlocking an abundant source of safe, clean energy that will power a net zero future, and the ambitious STEP programme positions the UK as a global leader in such highly complex projects. A viable, investible concept design is central to UKAEA's ambitions and Atkins is proud to extend our involvement in STEP's development through this consortium."

Simon Barber, UK Managing Director, Assystem, said "The STEP project is a fantastic opportunity for the UK to continue its leading role in the global race to deliver a commercially viable fusion power plant. Assystem's role in this delivery partner consortium for STEP builds on a long-term commitment to the development of UK fusion capability, harnessing a blend of UK skills, decades of experience on international fusion projects such as ITER and collaborating with UK fusion specialist SMEs."

Tristram Denton, Head of Commercial and Programme Development for STEP, said: "Fusion has great potential to deliver safe, sustainable, low carbon energy for generations to come, and STEP is leading the way. It's an ambitious programme operating at the forefront of science, technology and engineering. It's clear we must make significant changes to address the effects of climate change, and STEP's delivery partners will play a crucial role in our quest to making fusion a reality."

The Consortium members have an established relationship with UKAEA: Atkins was appointed Power Infrastructure Partner to STEP in May 2022, in addition to its roles as Commercial Pathways Partner, Site Selection and Development Partner, Cost Modelling Partner, and developing STEP's Integrated Plant Solution to define a conceptual mechanical handling and maintenance strategy. Assystem is currently delivering the STEP shielding design project, and has a wide range of in-vessel experience including pioneering the safe lithium breeder concept, and robotics and remote handling expertise under the LongOps programme. The Consortium members have previously worked together to deliver wide-ranging projects released through UKAEA's Engineering Design Services (EDS) and Embedded Engineering Resources (EER) frameworks, with both Atkins and Assystem holding Tier 1 positions.

Notes to editors

Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) is UKAEA's ambitious plan to accelerate the delivery of sustainable fusion energy. STEP is a staged programme to design and build the world's first compact fusion machine, based on the spherical tokamak, targeting 2040. The UK Government is providing £220 million of funding for the first phase of STEP, which will see UKAEA produce a conceptual design by 2024.

About UKAEA

UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) carries out fusion energy research on behalf of the UK Government.
Fusion is based on the same processes that power the sun and stars. When a mix of two forms of hydrogen (deuterium and tritium) are heated to form a plasma at extreme temperatures - 10 times hotter than the core of the sun - they fuse together to create helium and release huge amounts of energy.
More information: https://www.gov.uk/ukaea. Social Media: @UKAEAofficial

About Atkins

Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, is one of the world's most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies, employing over 19,000 people across the UK, North America, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Europe. We build long-term trusted partnerships to create a world where lives are enriched through the implementation of our ideas. The SNC-Lavalin Group brings extensive international nuclear expertise across the technology's cycle, from international fusion science through its role as architect engineer for ITER within the Engage consortium to the design and delivery of large-scale new nuclear build and Small Modular Reactors, as well as widespread knowledge across asset operations, decommissioning and waste management. www.snc-lavalin.com

About Assystem

Assystem is an independent international company with one main mission: to accelerate the energy transition worldwide. With more than 55 years of experience in highly regulated sectors with stringent safety and security constraints, the Group provides engineering services as well as digital solutions and services to optimise the performance of complex infrastructure assets throughout their life cycle.

In its 10 countries of operation, Assystem's 6,000+ experts are supporting energy transition. To achieve an affordable low-carbon energy supply, Assystem is committed to the development of decarbonised electricity (nuclear, renewables and electricity grids) and clean hydrogen. The Group is also helping drive the use of decarbonised electricity in industrial sectors such as transportation. Assystem is currently ranked as the second nuclear engineering group in the world.

To read Assystem's recently published report on how the UK is well positioned to lead the development of fusion energy, visit: Fusion Energy: A Global Effort - A UK Opportunity visit https://www.assystem.com/en/fusion-energy-report/

For more information, contact Jack Dobson Smith ([e-mail]) | 07879 115 255)

Oxford Sigma

Oxford Sigma tackles energy security and climate change by accelerating the development of fusion and advanced nuclear energy. The company's aim is to develop innovative nuclear technology to withstand extreme environments, provide nuclear materials expertise, and advise the advanced nuclear and fusion energy industries in their quest to achieve commercialization. Internationally recognized as a highly technical SME, our growing team of engineers and scientists play an active role in the emerging supply chain ecosystem within the UK, USA and EU for fusion energy and advanced nuclear energy. For more information, contact Anna Davis [e-mail]

Kyoto Fusioneering

Kyoto Fusioneering is a privately funded technology start-up founded in 2019, with its headquarter in Kyoto, Japan and subsidiary in Reading, UK. The company is focused on developing advanced technologies for commercial fusion reactors, including gyrotron systems, tritium fuel cycle technologies, and breeding blankets for tritium production and power generation. Kyoto Fusioneering is developing innovative solutions that are simultaneously high-performance and commercially viable. Supporting both public and private fusion developers around the world, the company is accelerating the realization of fusion as the ultimate energy source for humankind. For more information, please contact [e-mail]

Ansaldo Nuclear

Ansaldo Nuclear is part of the Ansaldo Energia group and its strength lies in over sixty years' of international experience in EPC for the nuclear market. With its workforce of 500 employee, it designs, manufactures, installs and commissions safety critical engineered products and provides specialist support for its customers across all the nuclear energy sectors i.e. new build, operational support and life extension and decommissioning and waste management. Ansaldo involvement in the Fusion sector started forty year ago and spanned design and engineering support, product development and supply to several projects including JET, IGNITOR, ITER and DEMO. In ITER in particular, Ansaldo built several partnerships and is delivering a large portfolio of projects. www.ansaldoenergia.com/business-lines/nuclear. For more information, please contact Charles Mendes - [e-mail] / 07864 933412

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