My hon. Friend Lord Vallance of Balham, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation has today made the following statement:
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is today publishing a draft national policy statement—NPS—for fusion energy generation (EN-8).
Fusion energy has the potential to play a key role in the UK future energy system, supporting long-term energy security, delivering an abundant source of zero-carbon energy and with the potential to export the technology globally. In the shorter term, it is helping to drive growth across the country, delivering high-skilled jobs, inward investment and supply chain development. As fusion technologies continue to advance and private investment accelerates globally, a clear and proportionate planning framework is essential to ensure the UK remains competitive and able to capitalise on the long-term economic opportunities that fusion energy presents.
Today a draft national policy statement for fusion energy infrastructure, EN-8, was laid before Parliament. This delivers on the Government’s commitments within both the UK’s modern industrial strategy and the UK fusion strategy to develop a fusion-specific NPS and publish a draft by summer 2026. Publishing this draft marks an important milestone in creating the conditions for fusion to move from research to commercial deployment in the UK. It will help to ensure that the planning system in England and Wales is ready to support future fusion energy projects. This will support the growth of the UK fusion industry, enable innovation and skills, and reinforce the UK’s position as a leading destination for fusion investment.
The draft EN-8 does not identify specific sites for fusion energy infrastructure and is technology-agnostic (it will apply to the different types of fusion energy technology, e.g. magnetic and inertial confinement), ensuring flexibility for developers and responsiveness to innovation in fusion design. This is consistent with the Government’s July 2025 response to a consultation on a new NPS for fusion energy. That Government response also set out 19 fusion-specific considerations, grouped into environmental, safety & security, operational and developmental themes. Draft EN-8 provides the detailed requirements for developers and the Planning Inspectorate in these areas, in addition to those that already exist in the overarching national policy statement for energy (EN-1). EN-8 has a scope different from EN-7, which is the national policy statement for nuclear (fission) energy generation.
Today marks the start of the formal parliamentary process to designate EN-8 and bring it into force under the Planning Act 2008. From today until 30 November, Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise the draft, raise questions and make recommendations. A public consultation on EN-8 will run alongside this stage of the parliamentary process, and officials will provide a summary of consultation responses to the relevant parliamentary Committees once all responses have been received.
Following consultation, EN-8 will be laid in Parliament in its final form for approval by resolution by the House of Commons, or by deemed consent by the House of Commons following a 21-sitting-day consideration period.
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