STEP Fusion to power up the North at the Great Northern Conference
STEP Fusion will explain how its pioneering clean energy programme will power up the north when it joins hundreds of the region’s key decision-makers at the Great Northern Conference in Doncaster next month.
Visitors to the event at Doncaster Racecourse will discover how plans for the prototype fusion energy plant and proposals for development at other disused power stations will unlock thousands of jobs, drive skills and education and spark an energy revolution.
Government is investing £2.5 billion in the STEP Fusion programme, which will develop a prototype power plant that harnesses the same process that powers the sun and the stars to create an almost limitless clean energy.
The fusion plant is being developed at the former West Burton Power Station near the borders of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire, with work already underway in Rotherham on the materials and components it will need.
West Burton is one of three former coal-fired power stations which form part of what’s known as the Supercluster, where investments in fusion, SMR reactors and hydrogen will revive the energy industry.
At the Great Northern Conference on December 2, visitors can meet key members of STEP Fusion’s West Burton team, along with the programme’s popular robot dog companions Tok and Mak – named after the machine at the heart of the fusion process.
They can also look at the University of York’s immersive Sun Dome, which offers a hands-on experience of fusion’s potential.
A highlight of the day will be a key panel debate on regional growth and economic prosperity, led by Ben Bradley, Head of Communications and Engagement at STEP Fusion. He’ll be joined by:
- Sian Booth, Head of Policy and Partnerships, Doncaster Chamber of Commerce
- Professor Russell Goodall, Deputy Director, UKAEA Centre for Doctoral Training, University of Sheffield
- Andrew McPhillips, Senior Economist, Northern Powerhouse Partnership
Ben Bradley said:"With the Great Northern Conference on our doorstep, we’re excited to spotlight the STEP programme and its potential to drive growth and regeneration across the region. We’re looking forward to connecting with northern businesses and forging new partnerships that will help shape the future of energy."
To find out more about the conference and secure your tickets visit Homepage | Great Northern Conference 2025