The new Government minister in charge of fusion, Kerry McCarthy MP, made UKAEA one of her first destinations since being appointed when she visited Culham campus.

Minister McCarthy is part of the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero’s ministerial team under Secretary of State Ed Miliband, with a wide-ranging climate brief.

Despite scorching heat, the Minister took in tours of the JET and MAST Upgrade tokamaks before viewing some of our specialist research centres – the Materials Research Facility and RACE. She held an industry round table with representatives from private fusion developers and investors, before meeting apprentices Charlie Garner and Becky MacKenzie at the Oxfordshire Advanced Skills centre.

Minister McCarthy enjoyed the opportunity to see so much of UKAEA in one day.

Minister McCathy said:

“I am hugely excited to be tasked with unlocking the UK as a world leader in fusion energy, which could transform energy production as we know it.

“It was a privilege to visit the UKAEA’s Culham centre today, seeing first-hand how our wonderful scientists and engineers develop such an exciting technology which could help us hit our net zero targets.

“Having a commercial plan for fusion energy will also support good new jobs and exciting apprenticeship opportunities in regions like Oxfordshire, helping us in our mission to drive forward green economic growth.”

Deputy CEO Tim Bestwick, who hosted the Minister with UKIFS CEO Paul Methven, was keen to highlight the scientific and economic benefits fusion research can bring along the path to commercial energy.

Tim Bestwick said:

“We were delighted to host Minister McCarthy at Culham Campus to share with her the latest developments in the rapidly developing world of fusion.

“The visit was a great opportunity to demonstrate how fusion can help sustain a low-carbon future as well as the enormous growth opportunity fusion presents for the UK.”