UK Fusion Energy Ltd, the organisation delivering the UK’s first prototype fusion energy plant, has expanded its partnership with Seoul National University and PowerNix Co. Ltd to scale up high-temperature superconducting cable manufacturing for fusion magnets.
An additional financial contribution of £5M from UK Fusion Energy Ltd to materials, tools and equipment, together with further in-kind contributions totalling £1.1M from SNU and PowerNix, will enable the prototype manufacture of the first pancake for the STEP toroidal field model coil.
As part of the collaborative effort, work at Seoul National University has been supported by the Program for Research in Innovation of Superconducting Magnets (PRISM), funded by the Korean Ministry of Science and ICT through the National Research Foundation of Korea. Seoul National University spin-off Standard Magnet Inc., a PRISM-affiliated company, is also participating in the project as a subcontractor.
Advancing international collaboration for delivering STEP Fusion
Building on the first phase of the collaboration, which demonstrated a prototype cable achieving 91 kA and over 1,300 loading cycles without degradation at the SULTAN test facility in Switzerland, the next phase will focus on scaling up manufacturing to 10-metre cable lengths for the STEP toroidal field model coil.
It will also advance key processes including cable bending, production automation, and testing and inspection.
By selecting this partnership for its ongoing toroidal field coil cable development, this collaboration forms a key part of the UK’s national Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) programme, which aims to deliver a prototype fusion energy plant in West Burton, Nottinghamshire, by 2040.
As a strategic international partner, Seoul National University’s Applied Superconductivity Centre, along with its subcontractor Standard Magnet Inc., contributes world-leading expertise in high-temperature superconducting magnet technology to this effort, complemented by the specialised industrial manufacturing capabilities of PowerNix.
Commenting on the partnership, Dr Shailendra Chouhan, Project Lead at UK Fusion Energy Ltd, said:
“This collaboration is helping turn STEP’s magnet technology into a deliverable reality, bringing together UK Fusion Energy, Seoul National University and PowerNix to scale proven innovations into manufacturable solutions for future fusion power plants.”
Prof. Seungyong Hahn, Professor at Seoul National University, Applied Superconductivity Centre, added:
“Working with UK Fusion Energy Ltd and Seoul National University on this programme represents an important step in advancing large-scale manufacturing of high-temperature superconducting cables. By combining our industrial manufacturing expertise with leading research capabilities, we are helping to accelerate the development of technologies essential for next-generation fusion energy systems.”
ENDS
Pictured: UK Fusion Energy team members with collaboration partners from Seoul National University and PowerNix on the factory floor at PowerNix’s new site in Gwangju preparing for manufacture of the 10 metre long superconducting cables required for the STEP toroidal field model coil.
UK Fusion Energy Ltd (UKFE) is responsible for delivering the UK’s flagship fusion programme, STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production). The organisation is leading the design and development of the UK’s first prototype fusion energy plant at West Burton in Nottinghamshire, targeting first operations in the 2040s. Working with industry and research partners, UKFE is building a public-private alliance to scale commercial fusion energy and support long-term energy security.
PowerNix Co., Ltd. is a power electronics company established in 2004 with head office in Sejong-si, and a dedicated manufacturing facility in Gwangju, Republic of Korea. PowerNix serves a wide range of major clients, including LG Chem, Hyundai Motor Group, Korail, KOMIPO, Hyosung Heavy Industries, SK Hynix, Korean Southern Power Company, and HD Hyundai Electric. Under the PRISM Alliance, the company is leading multiple initiatives focused on the development of manufacturing technologies for twisted, non-twisted, and conduit superconductors.
