Today, I spoke in Parliament about the STEP fusion programme and the positive benefits this will bring to Bassetlaw.
In 2020, the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) determined that West Burton, a coal burning power station which is currently being decommissioned, will be the site for the first fusion energy prototype plant.
Fusion has been defined as ‘last energy’ – the re-creation of the energy generated by the sun and all other stars.
The STEP fusion programme provides the opportunity to raise aspirations and to gain new opportunities for our young people, ensuring that they no longer have to choose to move away if they want to get a highly skilled job or one that gives them a strong financial future.
This historical decision very much aligns with Bassetlaw’s coal mining heritage. We had seven pits producing coal, taken by local train drivers to the power stations including Cottam and West Burton and High Marnham, built alongside the River Trent. We had a workforce proudly geared towards powering the country.
The goal is to produce a source of low-carbon energy and heat with the objective of supplying electricity into the national grid by the 2040s. We as a government need to be already thinking beyond our 2030 ambitions with fusion taking us into the next and crucial phase of carbon neutral energy production.
As the new MP for Bassetlaw, I want to see our young people find routes into fusion, either through the supply chains, the development of new technologies or leading the world at the West Burton plant itself. I want to use this unique opportunity to change life outcomes for future generations in Bassetlaw, and I want local businesses to have the opportunities to change their production techniques and provision.
I will be fighting hard to ensure that everyone in Bassetlaw feels the full benefit from the STEP fusion energy project, including road and rail infrastructure improvements as we begin to unlock the full potential of our area.
