UK and US supercomputers to work together on limitless clean energy
Key Points
- UK and US are signing two fusion agreements at the Global Fusion Summit in London on 14 September
- UKAEA and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory will share AI and supercomputing expertise
- Government targets more than 10,000 UK fusion jobs by 2030
- Kyoto Fusioneering will invest up to £3 million in the UK's STEP programme
- Government estimates the future global fusion market at £3 trillion to £12 trillion
The UK and US are signing two fusion energy agreements at the Global Fusion Summit in London on Monday (14 September), with the government targeting more than 10,000 UK fusion jobs by 2030.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said the first agreement launches a supercomputing partnership between the UK Atomic Energy Authority and the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in the US.
The two national laboratories will combine their AI, advanced computing and fusion expertise to speed up the development of commercial fusion power.
The second agreement is a Joint Statement committing both countries to closer cooperation on regulating fusion energy. The department said the regulatory alignment is intended to attract investment and support growth of the sector on both sides of the Atlantic.
Fusion replicates the process that powers the sun by combining hydrogen atoms to release large amounts of energy. The process produces no carbon emissions during operation and offers a potential source of clean energy for generations.
“Fusion has the potential to provide virtually limitless clean energy while supporting more than 10,000 jobs across the UK by 2030, attracting investment and creating major opportunities for British businesses,” said Michael Shanks, Minister for Energy.
“By strengthening our partnership with the US we’re accelerating the race to commercial fusion, turning cutting-edge research into economic growth and cementing Britain’s position as a world leader in fusion energy,” he added.
The summit builds on the £2.5 billion the government committed to fusion over five years in June 2025 and on the UK-US nuclear deal signed under the two countries’ “golden age” partnership.
The government is also spending £125 million on the AI Growth Zone at Culham in Oxfordshire, including £45 million for the SUNRISE supercomputer used in fusion research.
Further investment coming
The University of Birmingham, the Electric Power Research Institute and industry partners have secured a £2.63 million collaboration on fusion materials through the FURESHMA programme, which develops shielding materials for fusion reactors.
Kyoto Fusioneering, Japan’s largest fusion company, will invest up to £3 million in the UK through Project ALBION.
The money supports the development and testing of materials for the government-backed STEP programme, which is designing a prototype fusion power plant at West Burton in Nottinghamshire for delivery by 2040.
The government also published its UK Fusion Investment Prospectus on Monday, setting out its offer to companies and investors. The department estimated the future global fusion market at between £3 trillion and £12 trillion.
Alongside the prospectus, the government published a Regulation Landscape clarifying the processes needed to deploy a fusion power plant.
The Environment Agency and Health and Safety Executive have published an Early Engagement Process to formalise contact with industry and give developers and investors confidence.
The UK has also signed a Letter of Intent with the State of Tennessee covering research and development, skills and workforce development, regulation and access to supply chains.
The UK was the first country to establish a dedicated regulatory framework for fusion energy and in March 2026 became the first to commit to developing a dedicated market framework for the technology.
The government is spending a further £180 million on the Lithium Breeding Tritium Innovation programme, a facility designed to address one of the main technical challenges facing future fusion plants.
