Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership’s chairman said it was very disappointing that Copeland missed out on hosting a cutting-edge fusion reactor – but argued campaigners did everything they could.
Lord Inglewood was one of the public figures calling for Copeland to host the one-of-a-kind nuclear fusion reactor.
The UK Atomic Energy Authority hosted a competition to select an appropriate site for the STEP Tokamak fusion reactor. Copeland Council, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and West Cumbrian MPs were pushing for Moorside, a site neighbouring Sellafield.
Moorside reached the final five but this week, Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg announced that West Burton A Plant in Nottinghamshire had been selected to house the reactor.
Lord Inglewood said: “We really pushed hard for it, it’s very disappointing. We were told we had done everything we could.”
He added that hosting the experimental technology in West Cumbria would have brought long-term transformation to the area as well as an economic boost.
“It was going to create an enormous amount of jobs. It is absolutely game-changing technology, a long way off but much closer than it was quite recently. It’ll change the face of energy technology.”
Nuclear fusion is currently an experimental process but if scientists are successful, it is hailed as providing a limitless and sustainable source of clean energy. The
STEP reactor will be a prototype initially but once it is achievable, it will provide clean energy for commercial use.
Lord Inglewood said that despite this week’s disappointing news, a number of other job creating developments could be in the works for Cumbria.
“There’s other things in the pipeline, there’s the famous and controversial coal mine, there’s the SMR.”
Lord Inglewood added that Kingmoor Park in Carlisle has been shortlisted for a factory to build the parts for the Small Modular Reactors and he argued that it could be the prime location.
“Cumbria is a good location and it has a relationship with Sellafield.”
