UK government signs £30 million deal to build the world’s first prototype fusion power plant by 2040

Dassault Systèmes secures £30m deal to support UK fusion energy program
3DEXPERIENCE platform will enable digital twin modelling, testing and more
STEP program could create 10k+ jobs – including Dassault opportunities

Dassault Systèmes has teamed up with UK Fusion Energy in a new £30 million deal to support the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) programme, supporting the UK’s effort to build the world’s first prototype fusion power plant by 2040.

Under the new contract, Dassault with provide the project with its 3DEXPERIENCE platform to support digital twins, crucial for developing next-generation power plants and broader fusion research.

The software will also be used for engineers, designers, scientists, manufacturers, construction partners and more to collaborate with the same data and context, ultimately creating a hub for the project. Dassault described the tool as a “standardized and connected engineering environment.”

Dassault Système’s role in digital twins

The multimillion-pound software package reduces the need for separate CAD files, simulation models, engineering databases and more, improving the project’s overall value.

It will also be used for engineers to model, test and optimize systems using digital twins – a digital mockup of the power plant in a virtual environment.

“[STEP’s Plant Information Management System], powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, will play a critical role in enabling fast, efficient and rigorous engineering delivery while creating the blueprint for future fusion power plants,” UK Fusion Energy Engineering Program Director Debbie Kempton wrote.

“This deployment will strengthen engineering continuity, accelerate innovation and ensure that plant information, engineering decisions and system designs remain fully connected across the entire lifecycle of the prototype power plant,” Dassault Systèmes EuroNorth MD John Turnbull added.

STEP, which was awarded a £2.5 billion of additional government investment in June 2025, is set to be built on the site of a former coal power station in Nottinghamshire.

Fusion power plant inches toward reality

The announcement also marks the next step in this drawn-out program, moving it beyond scientific research into pre-production.

Already this year, Tokamak Energy has signed a £70 million contract to develop high-temperature, superconducting magnets that will fuel the fusion power plant.

The government anticipates the project could create up to 10,000 jobs across construction, engineering and supply chains, including the impact the new £30 million contract will have on employment at Dassault Systèmes. It’s unclear how long the deal will last, and whether Dassault will need to re-tender in order to welcome competition.

Final designs should be complete with construction expected to start around 2032, with around eight years of construction, installation and other commissioning to take the site live.

As for Dassault itself, the £30 million contract represents a major contract for the company, which scored another major deal with the Volkswagen Group in early 2025 to support thousands of engineers with virtual twins throughout vehicle development across brands like VW, Audi and Porsche.