Jacobs selected by UKAEA to support nuclear fusion research

Jacobs has been selected by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) to support research into nuclear fusion and related technologies.

Under the engineering, design and build framework for electrical assemblies, Jacobs will support UKAEA’s research and development work in the Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE) facility at Culham Science Centre in Oxfordshire.

UKAEA is working to turn the process that powers the sun into carbon-free, safe and abundant electricity for a cleaner planet. Replicating the nuclear reaction that powers the sun could provide low-carbon electricity for millennia to come.

Work will include engineering design and installation of control panels, safety interlock panels, and wiring looms for a control cubicle to support the testing of a new range of actuators being developed by UKAEA.

Jacobs’ teams will design and build assemblies at the company’s manufacturing, fabrication and welding facility in Barton, Lincolnshire, with final commissioning and handover at the client’s site.

Jacobs was also awarded a contract to provide technical and specialist nuclear services across a broad portfolio of fusion-related programs.

“We’re combining our extensive experience of designing components for nuclear fusion research with our technical capability to turn those designs into the finished article, leveraging our in-house manufacturing facilities,” said Jacobs critical mission solutions international senior vice president Clive White. “This strong linkage between design and project execution improves project outcomes for our clients.”

UKAEA is responsible for a wide range of nuclear fusion research including the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP), a program to design and build the world’s first compact fusion reactor by 2040.

UKAEA head of procurement, Paula Barham, said: “These frameworks bring exciting opportunities for UKAEA to work collaboratively with the supply chain and maximize the potential value within those relationships. This is vital to UKAEA succeeding and positioning the U.K. as a leader in sustainable nuclear energy.”

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