The UK and US have signed agreements to accelerate commercial fusion energy, in a move the government says will create over 10,000 jobs in Britain by 2030.
The agreements were signed at the Global Fusion Summit in London this week. The first launches a supercomputing partnership between the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in the US, combining artificial intelligence, computing, and fusion expertise to speed up the development of commercial fusion technology.
The second is a joint statement in which the two countries commit to closer cooperation on regulating fusion energy, which the government said would help attract investment into the sector.
Michael Shanks, minister for energy, said: “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.
“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.”
Chris Elmore, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office minister for the Americas, said: “The UK’s relationship with the United States supports growth and thousands of jobs at home.
“By bringing together world-leading expertise in fusion, artificial intelligence and advanced computing, we’re helping British businesses and researchers access the investment, knowledge and international partnerships needed to succeed in the industries of the future.”
Separately, the University of Birmingham, the Electric Power Research Institute and industry partners have secured a £2.63m collaboration on fusion materials, under the FURESHMA (Fusion Reactor Shielding Materials) programme. Japan’s Kyoto Fusioneering will also invest up to £3m in the UK through Project ALBION, supporting materials development and testing for the government-backed STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) programme.
The government has also published a UK Fusion Investment Prospectus, setting out its offer to companies and investors and referencing estimates that put the future global fusion market at between £3 trillion and £12 trillion.
The announcements build on a £2.5bn government investment in fusion announced in June 2025, and on the UK-US “golden age” nuclear deal. Other government fusion commitments include £180m for the Lithium Breeding Tritium Innovation programme and £125m for an AI Growth Zone at Culham, which includes £45m for the SUNRISE supercomputer.
The STEP programme aims to deliver a prototype fusion power plant by 2040 at the West Burton site in Nottinghamshire, which the government intends to redevelop into a fusion energy hub.
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