First plasma for Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak Upgrade

News

The UK Atomic Energy Authority’s Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST) Upgrade has achieved ‘first plasma’, a breakthrough for fusion energy that demonstrates essential components working together simultaneously.

The landmark event, which came after seven years of construction and £55m in EPSRC funding, brings the UK closer to building its first fusion power plant by 2040.

Fusion power: breeder blankets and diverter technologies put to the test

Beyond ITER – next steps in fusion power

In a statement, UKAEA CEO, Professor Ian Chapman, said: “MAST Upgrade will take us closer to delivering sustainable, clean fusion energy. This experiment will break new ground and test technology that has never been tried before. It will be a vital testing facility on our journey to delivering the STEP fusion power plant.”

Fusion energy is achieved by fusing hydrogen particles in a hot gas – plasma - to unlock large amounts of energy. It is seen as having the potential to deliver abundant, inherently safe low-carbon electricity, but operating fusion technologies requires the exact control of extreme heat, gas and powerful magnetic fields, amongst other complex systems.

Register now to continue reading

Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.  

Benefits of registering

  • In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends

  • Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year

  • Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address