Steel Times International features what we are doing to help develop commercially scalable fusion power
Using our Electric Arc Furnace we successfully produced 5.5 tonnes of fusion-grade reduced-activation ferritic-martensitic (RAFM) steel – a UK first – High performance steels are essential for next-generation nuclear fusion reactors as they need to withstand extreme conditions, including temperatures up to 650°C and intense neutron radiation.
The breakthrough was delivered through the NEURONE Consortium, a £12 million collaboration led by the UK Atomic Energy Authority and funded by the Fusion Futures Programme announced by the UK Government in October 2023.
Richard Birley, our NEURONE project lead, said: “As the only UK facility capable of producing RAFM steel at this scale, this is a groundbreaking moment for nuclear fusion research and development. These trials mark a significant step towards cost-effective manufacturing of fusion steels for future commercial fusion programmes.
https://www.mpiuk.com/news-details.php?news_id=547
The NEURONE project is led by the UK Atomic Energy Authority and consists of representatives from the following universities and organisations Universities include the Swansea University / Prifysgol Abertawe, The University of Sheffield, University of Birmingham, Imperial College London, The University of Manchester, University of Bristol, University of Strathclyde Glasgow and University of Oxford. Two industry partner organisations – Ourselves and Sheffield Forgemasters, as well as The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).
20 August 2025
