Nuclear fusion: Plant would create 8,500 East Yorkshire jobs - report

A final decision on the chosen site is due at the end of 2022, with five areas in the running

More than 8,500 jobs could be created in East Yorkshire should it be selected as the home of the UK's first prototype fusion energy plant, a report has said.

Goole is one of five places hoping to host the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) programme, with a decision announced later in 2022.

It aims to generate a "near-limitless" source of low-carbon energy, the UK Atomic Energy Authority said.

It is hoped the plant could be operational by the early 2040s.

The East Riding of Yorkshire Council bid is being backed by industry bodies, a partnership of universities and a range of stakeholders.

The other bidders are Ardeer in North Ayrshire, Moorside in Cumbria, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire and Severn Edge, Gloucestershire.

The economic report, carried out by Dr Mark Graham, a senior economist at the University of Edinburgh, estimated 8,651 jobs would be created in the manufacture and construction of the STEP prototype reactor.

Councillor Jane Evison, portfolio holder for economic investment, growth and tourism at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said the STEP fusion project would be "truly transformative" for East Yorkshire should the council's bid be successful.

"The impact on jobs for local people in several roles cannot be understated, nor can STEP's ambition to drive skills and investment in our local schools and colleges," she said.

What is fusion?

Fusion - the process which goes on inside the sun - creates energy by forcing atoms together.

It is the opposite of standard nuclear reactors which rely on fission, the breaking apart of atoms.

Fusion is viewed as safe and clean but has so far proved difficult to harness.

Critics have said there are still huge hurdles to overcome and some experts believe existing, proven renewable technologies offer a more economical and timely way of tackling climate change.