UK Fusion Energy (UKFE) awarded the £70 million contract covering the period up to March 2029 after Tokamak Energy was identified as the leading UK-based manufacturing expert with the specialist capabilities to deliver the work.

Under the agreement, Tokamak Energy will act as systems partner delivering eight work packages for magnets, working closely with UKFE’s integrated programme team across key areas including magnets, tokamak systems and plasma integration. Delivery will be led through TE Magnetics, Tokamak Energy’s high temperature superconducting (HTS) technologies division, which brings dedicated design, manufacturing and test capability for advanced HTS magnet systems.

Tokamak Energy is a world leader in HTS magnet systems, demonstrating magnetic field strengths and system level performance that support the UK’s ambition to lead in next generation fusion magnet technology.

The contract also provides continued use of the company’s record-breaking ST40, a compact, high field spherical tokamak that recently delivered record levels of plasma current and energy performance.

Warrick Matthews, Tokamak Energy CEO, said: “Confirming our position in the UK’s world-leading fusion programme is a proud day for Tokamak Energy. HTS magnets are a transformative technology essential for delivering energy-producing fusion devices like STEP and unlocking new levels of performance in other sectors.

“Our expertise and experience include operating two of the most advanced fusion machines of today and will be invaluable as we scale up in partnership towards a low carbon, secure energy future.”

Tokamak Energy and UKFE bring together decades of developed expertise in high field magnet systems and spherical tokamak operations. They form a combined capability to deliver STEP Fusion at pace, accelerate learning cycles and help reduce risk in the early cycle of the wider STEP programme. With Tokamak Energy being the UK’s only manufacturer with this specialist HTS and high field expertise, this contract secures essential domestic capability.

Dan Bishop, Chief Commercial Officer at UKFE, said: “This partnership is about delivering together. Tokamak Energy brings the complementary skills, facilities and experience to move at pace. Our mission to deliver the STEP programme objectives is enhanced by this partnership.”

The STEP programme has recently moved from concept into delivery, following completion of its design concept phase and Government approval to progress towards whole plant development in West Burton, Nottinghamshire.

Tokamak Energy brings a unique combination of operational fusion hardware, magnet manufacturing capability and UK- based high field experimental infrastructure.

Its Demo4 HTS magnet system demonstrated world first performance for a full tokamak configured HTS system. Demo4 achieved 11.8 Tesla at cryogenic temperatures with seven million ampere turns, successfully reproducing fusion relevant magnetic environments at system level – an important milestone for future power plant scale magnets.

Tokamak Energy’s 2025 acquisition of Leicester-based Ridgway Machines accelerates its ability to deliver high-quality HTS products at scale and provides end-to-end capability. Ridgway Machines brings decades of experience in manufacturing cable insulation and winding machinery across multiple industries. It is the leading provider of bespoke equipment for superconducting magnets and cable production.

Under the proposed contract, UKFE will leverage Tokamak Energy’s magnet and plasma infrastructure to support rapid engineering iteration. ST40 and associated HTS magnet platforms allow direct testing of magnetic configuration, coil forces, plasma stability, and quench behaviour under realistic conditions, accelerating validation cycles ahead of STEP’s later design phases.

Why this contract matters

• Combines complementary expertise
  UKFE leads the delivery of STEP at whole plant scale, while Tokamak Energy brings decades of private sector innovation in high field magnets and spherical tokamaks. Together they create a delivery capability neither could achieve alone, especially at required programme pace.
• Provides direct access to operational high field testbeds
  ST40 and Demo4 allow live testing of plasma scenarios, magnetic geometries and integrated coil loads which are significantly faster and more informative than simulation only approaches.
• Reduces risk in advanced magnet development
  Fusion requires exceptionally strong, stable magnetic fields. Early validation of cooling systems, structural integrity, quench behaviour and multi‑coil interactions reduces risk in one of the most challenging areas of STEP’s design.
• Accelerates STEP programme milestones
  The partnership enables rapid prototyping, earlier technology verification and a smoother transition from concept into full engineering design.
• Strengthens UK sovereign capability
  Tokamak Energy is the UK’s only specialist manufacturer of high field HTS magnet technology, securing critical domestic capability and reducing dependence on global supply chains.

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Founded in 1920, the Leicester-based engineering company is a designer and manufacturer of advanced, high-precision automated production systems for next-generation energy and electrification technologies. Ridgway delivers bespoke manufacturing platforms to global leaders in fusion energy, superconducting power, grid and electrical infrastructure.

The company has made a strong start to 2026 as demand for high temperature superconducting (HTS) cables and coils for magnet systems from power and fusion energy customers rises worldwide.

Mike has a proven track record of delivering sustainable business growth throughout his career. He joins from TT Electronics, where he delivered significant increases in turnover and operating profit at the advanced electronics engineering and manufacturing organisation. Previously, he held managing director level roles at Dynamic Aerospace Fabrications and Pattonair after a 31-year career at Rolls-Royce, where he held a number of positions, including operations director.

Tokamak Energy, the UK’s leading fusion technology company, acquired Ridgway Machines in September 2025 to deliver high-quality HTS products at scale and provide end-to-end capability. It launched TE Magnetics the previous year to focus on the industrial deployment of HTS technology.

Warrick Matthews, Tokamak Energy CEO, said: “Ridgway plays an important role in providing specialist machines to industry. It has a growing customer base which will see it expand significantly over the next few years. In addition, Ridgway and TE Magnetics create a very powerful combination to accelerate and industrialise our leading HTS technologies, delivering breakthroughs in a wide range of industries. I am very pleased to see Mike join the business at such a pivotal time to lead this new phase of growth.”

Mike said: “I’m delighted to join Ridgway and the Tokamak Energy family as we work together to accelerate the industrialisation and unlock the full potential of HTS. Ridgway has the expertise and experience to transition HTS technology into large‑scale manufacturing, delivering innovative solutions and addressing critical challenges the world is facing both today and tomorrow.”

HTS materials, which conduct electricity with virtually no power loss, will enable the next generation of energy-producing fusion devices. It has the capacity to disrupt a range of sectors worth hundreds of billions of pounds.

When engineered into magnets, they generate exceptionally strong and stable magnetic fields within compact, lightweight systems – unlocking new possibilities in fusion and other applications ranging from electric zero emission flight to analytical science.

HTS also enables scalable, ultra-efficient, and compact power distribution for high-demand environments such as AI data centres, overcoming the limitations of conventional systems, which struggle with bulk, weight, heat generation at high currents, and efficiency losses in high-power settings.

Ridgway Machines brings decades of experience in the design and manufacture of advanced winding, taping and insulation machinery across multiple industries. It is now also the leading provider of bespoke manufacturing platforms for superconducting cables, coils for magnets and cable production.

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The UK Government is backing fusion research and commercialisation with more than £2.5 billion over the next five years, recognising fusion as a key technology for energy security and long‑term economic growth.

During the visit,  Lord Vallance toured Tokamak Energy’s ST40 spherical tokamak, world‑leading high‑temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet technology, and Demo4 fusion magnet system.

Warrick Matthews, Tokamak Energy CEO, said: “We welcome the government’s commitment to establishing the UK as a global leader in fusion – the 21st century’s most important technology. Tokamak Energy brings extensive expertise to the race, including power‑plant‑relevant results on our groundbreaking spherical tokamak and our world‑first high‑temperature superconducting (HTS) fusion magnet system.

“Through our TE Magnetics division, we are a market leader in the breakthrough HTS technology the STEP fusion programme will rely on to control the plasma. Our focus is realising its full potential for fusion and other sectors including science, defence, transport and grid technologies – tomorrow’s technology creating growth, jobs, exports and value today.”

The new strategy confirms the UK will work in close partnership with industry, ensuring the country is positioned to capture near‑term economic benefits from rapidly developing fusion technologies: accelerated innovation, high‑value skills, secure well‑paid jobs, and commercially valuable spin‑out technologies.

Read the full UK fusion strategy here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69b3fb599d8b52961a62b3e0/fusion-energy-strategy-2026…

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They were proudly exhibiting alongside major organisations as part of The King’s drive to accelerate the transition to a sustainable global economy.

The SMI Roundtables & Exhibition showcased a range of exhibitors from clean energy to space and sustainable materials to cutting-edge technology.

Pictured here, Tokamak Energy CEO Warrick Matthews explains the positive impact technology and the SMI network is having on His Majesty’s mission, with fusion an essential part of a clean energy future.

Warrick also joined a plenary session for the Buildings and Data Centres Pathfinder group to explore the transformational capabilities of high temperature superconductors, for fusion, lossless power transmission for data centres, and unlocking new levels of performance in a range of other sectors including science, defence and transport.

Thanks to SMI for hosting another outstanding event, which unites hundreds of global CEOs, international delegations and innovators, and we look forward to playing our part in the next phase of delivery towards a sustainable transition.

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The company ended 2025 by achieving its highest plasma current, highest stored energy, and highest fusion triple product – all key measures on the path to delivering clean, limitless fusion energy.

The compact spherical tokamak at the company’s Oxfordshire HQ is now preparing for a major upgrade for a new campaign of ground-breaking experiments in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

Otto Asunta, Tokamak Energy Experiments Chief for ST40, said: “These superb results are a great way to finish the year and demonstrate how the ST40 team continues to push the limits, improving the already impressive performance of our compact high-field device.

“Breaking into the mega-amp range with our plasma current is a major milestone as we continue to build our knowledge of what will be needed for delivering fusion energy to future grids. We now look forward to working with the U.S. and UK governments on a new wave of experiments to deliver more cutting-edge science with our industry-leading device that has always punched above its weight.”

ST40 set a new record by reaching 1 MA (1,000,000 amperes) of plasma current, surpassing its previous best of 0.85 MA, while stored energy was nearly doubled compared to previous campaigns. This demonstrates that a plasma volume of just one cubic metre can hold immense power – an important insight on the path to energy-producing devices.

Plasma current – the electric current flowing through the plasma inside a tokamak – is crucial for confinement. It generates a poloidal magnetic field that, together with the magnetic fields from coils, keeps the plasma confined and away from material surfaces inside a tokamak. In future devices, a high plasma current is required to also trap the fusion-born alpha particles.
The fusion triple product, a measure combining plasma temperature, density, and energy confinement, is a key indicator of plasma performance.

In the company’s record-breaking 100 million degrees Celsius campaign of 2022, ST40 achieved a triple product of approximately 6 ± 2 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s, the highest ever achieved in a privately-owned tokamak. Following an extensive series of experiments at plasma currents >800 kA and toroidal field 2.1 T, the team improved its previous best by a third to ~8 ± 2 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s, demonstrating significant progress in plasma performance by operating in H-mode (high-confinement mode).

The latest campaign also saw the implementation of a new software called RT-GSFit that can reconstruct the plasma shape during a pulse at a millisecond time resolution (a thousand times per second). Integrating RT-GSFit into the ST40 Plasma Control System allowed the team to control plasma shape in real-time.

ST40 has now paused operations for the $52 million upgrade programme, known as LEAPS (Lithium Evaporations to Advance PFCs in ST40), in partnership with DOE and DESNZ. The programme will apply lithium coatings to all plasma-facing components (PFCs) using a lithium evaporation technique, building on pioneering work by Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and others that has shown lithium PFCs can significantly improve plasma performance.

The ultimate goal is to enable fusion conditions with good confinement that is compatible with sustainment for long durations in a future fusion pilot plant.

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The company was praised for its transformative work in the development of compact, powerful, robust, quench resilient, high temperature superconducting (HTS) technology.

HTS is essential for commercialising clean, limitless fusion energy, and will support the UK Government in addressing constraints in the national grid exacerbated by power demand for AI and data centre infrastructure.

Established in 2024, Tokamak Energy’s TE Magnetics division is leading the company’s HTS development and commercialisation for a range of applications, from power distribution, electric motors for zero emission flight, and fast, efficient magnetic levitation transport systems.

Warrick Matthews, Tokamak Energy CEO, said: “We have designed, built, and operate two of most advanced fusion energy research devices in the world – ST40 and Demo4.

“The teams behind these machines are driving the development and commercialisation of clean, limitless energy and transformative superconducting technologies for applications in fusion, science, power systems, propulsion, and beyond. We are proud to accept this prestigious award on behalf of all our people at Tokamak Energy, recognising their outstanding work to deliver positive impact through ground-breaking technology.”

The IOP is the professional body and learned society for physics in the UK and Ireland. With a rich history of supporting business innovation and growth, it is committed to working with ‘physics-powered’ businesses, and companies that apply and employ physics and physicists.

Michele Dougherty, Institute of Physics President Professor, said: “Physics drives discovery and innovation, transforming our understanding of the world. And it is the innovations of physics-powered businesses that are driving our economy, creating jobs and addressing the challenges that face us today.

“In the coming years, physics will continue to shape our lives, hopefully making a better world for us all, and it is companies like those we are honouring with a 2025 IOP Business Award that are leading the way towards a prosperous, sustainable future. My sincerest congratulations to them all. “

Tokamak Energy’s 2025 acquisition of Leicester-based Ridgway Machines accelerates its ability to deliver high-quality HTS products at scale and provides end-to-end capability.

Ridgway Machines brings decades of experience in manufacturing cable insulation and winding machinery across multiple industries. It is now also the leading provider of bespoke equipment for superconducting magnets and cable production.

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Demo4 also demonstrates the transformative potential of high temperature superconducting (HTS) technology across a range of spin-out applications, from power distribution for data centres, electric motors for zero emission flight, and fast, efficient magnetic levitation transport systems.

Creating fusion energy requires extremely strong magnetic fields to confine and control hydrogen fuel, which is heated to a plasma several times hotter than the centre of the sun inside a vessel called a tokamak.

Tokamak Energy’s Demo4 – a complete set of HTS magnets built in a tokamak configuration – produced the milestone results at the company’s headquarters outside Oxford, achieving field strengths of 11.8 Tesla at -243 degrees Celsius in recent tests.

The world-first system had an incredible seven million ampere turns of electrical current running through its centre column, demonstrating huge potential for power distribution as HTS can deliver around 200 times the current density of copper.

Warrick Matthews, Tokamak Energy CEO, said: “These results are a major victory for the race to deliver fusion and HTS as a disruptive new commercial technology. Demo4 represents over a decade of HTS innovation at Tokamak Energy. Born from our fusion mission, it validates one of the technical solutions for getting clean, limitless, safe and secure fusion energy on the grid.

“Demo4 is also best in class at showcasing and demonstrating the transformative potential for superconductors, including power distribution for high-demand environments like data centres and applications across science, power systems, propulsion, and beyond.”

Strong magnetic fields are generated by passing large electrical currents through arrays of electromagnetic coils assembled in a cage-like formation. The magnets are wound with precision from HTS tapes using multi-layered metal conductors with a crucial internal coating of ‘rare earth barium copper oxide’ (REBCO) superconducting material.

While recognising the achievement of demonstrating a single high-field HTS magnet, Tokamak Energy has focused on the next essential step: validating a complete HTS magnet system. In a fusion power plant, each REBCO superconducting tape must operate within the complex, combined magnetic environment created by neighbouring coils – conditions that significantly influence its effective critical current and structural performance.

These system-level interactions cannot be captured through individual magnet tests. Demo4 is therefore a world-first high field platform to generate and study fusion-relevant forces across a system coil set (14 toroidal field magnets and two poloidal field magnets), providing uniquely valuable engineering insight and data to inform power plant designs of the future.

Graham Dunbar, Demo4 chief engineer at Tokamak Energy, said: “Demo4 is delivering exactly what it was built for. Every test provides us with invaluable data and deepens our understanding. This isn’t just about achieving a number; it’s about gaining the confidence and build expertise to scale our technology for future energy-producing fusion systems.”

Demo4’s results confirm Tokamak Energy’s HTS magnets can generate the high fields essential for a fusion power plant and prove their capacity to support higher current densities with plug-in cooling capability. This means they can be made smaller and lighter than traditional low-temperature superconductors and operate at a fraction of the cooling cost. Further testing to reach higher magnetic fields continues, with next results due in early 2026.

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Tokamak Energy K.K. was incorporated in Tokyo in February 2025 to expand global operations and deepen UK-Japan collaboration in fusion energy and superconducting technologies.

The award reflects the company’s mission to support Japan’s energy security and decarbonisation goals, and builds on long-standing partnerships with government, industry and academia.

Dr. Toru Fukushima, Vice President and Country Manager of Tokamak Energy K.K, was presented with a bespoke trophy by the UK Ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom CMG, at Hilton Tokyo on Friday.

He said: “It was an honour to receive the New Market Entrant of the Year trophy as part of the British Chamber of Commerce’s flagship celebration of excellence within the UK-Japan business community. It is recognition of what we have achieved this year and a great boost for the team during this important time of expansion in Japan.”

Ross Morgan, Tokamak Energy K.K. President, added: “We are proud to have developed many important partnerships with leading organisations in Japan and look forward to delivering breakthrough technologies that will reshape sectors and address some of humanity’s most pressing challenges.”

In total, seven awards were presented to 48 nominees, all praised for their vision, innovation, and leadership in their respective fields. Each trophy was hand sculpted by Kate Thomson of Ukishima Sculpture Studio and reflected the enduring strength and evolution of UK–Japan relations.

Tokamak Energy has built a wide network of government, commercial, scientific and academic partners in Japan in recent years. Together with Furukawa Electric, the company is supporting the FAST (Fusion Advanced Superconducting Tokamak) development project, which aims to demonstrate fusion-based electricity generation in the 2030s.

FAST is a private-sector-led collaboration between industry and academia, led by Starlight Engine Ltd with support from experts in Japan and around the world. The project contributes significantly to the Japanese Government’s ‘Fusion Energy Innovation Strategy’, which sets a road map to commercialise fusion and achieve its decarbonisation goals.

In June, Tokamak Energy and Furukawa Electric Group agreed to establish a joint operational base in Japan to manufacture HTS technology, which will unlock new levels of performance and sustainability in a range of industries including science and medicine, manufacturing, power generation and distribution, and land, water, air and space propulsion.

In addition, Tokamak Energy was selected by the UK Government to showcase its transformative technology at Expo 2025 in Osaka. ‘Come Power the Future’ highlighted the UK’s global leadership in clean energy innovation.

Tokamak Energy K.K.’s official launch was held at the British Embassy in Tokyo last month, bringing together more than 100 guests from government, academia, and industry.

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The agreement was signed by Tokamak Energy CEO Warrick Matthews and the President of KACST, His Excellency Dr Munir Eldesouki.

The partnership aims to advance and develop national capabilities in fusion energy technologies, including high temperature superconductors (HTS), through a series of future projects.

Warrick said: “It’s an honour to partner with such a prestigious and well-respected national research and innovation institution. Our agreement with KACST increases our global presence and provides an exciting framework to work together on the development and application of ground-breaking fusion and HTS technologies in Saudi Arabia.”

The partners have committed to explore how they can work together in the following areas:

• Knowledge exchange via joint educational and training programs to build national competencies in the fields of plasma physics, fusion engineering, and related technologies
• Joint research and development, including conceptual design, to enable the construction and operation of future fusion energy infrastructure
• Exploration and application of advanced technologies, with a focus on HTS for various research and industrial applications, including power distribution
• Enhancing scientific dialogue and strategic partnerships to build a fusion energy ecosystem in Saudi Arabia

Founded in 1977, KACST is responsible for the promotion of science and technology in Saudi Arabia. It conducts research across energy, aerospace, communications, biotechnology, nanotechnology and sustainable technologies, and manages technology parks, incubators and key national programmes.

Tokamak Energy, a global leader in fusion energy and superconducting technologies, spun-out from UK Atomic Energy Authority in 2009. It is headquartered in Oxford at the heart of the UK’s fusion cluster, with subsidiaries in the United States and Japan.

The company has designed, built, and operates two of the world’s most advanced fusion devices: ST40, the highest field spherical tokamak, and Demo4, a world-first HTS fusion magnet system. These platforms are driving the development and commercialisation of cutting-edge fusion and superconducting technologies for applications in fusion, science, power systems, propulsion, and beyond.

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Distinguished speakers and more than 100 guests from government, industry and academia joined us for our special event at the historic Chiyoda building.

We are proud to have developed many important partnerships with leading organisations in Japan, including Furukawa Electric Group, the University of Tokyo, Kyoto Fusioneering, and Sumitomo Corporation.

With this strong, established ecosystem in place, and exciting opportunities ahead, we look forward to delivering breakthrough technologies that will reshape sectors and address some of humanity’s most pressing challenges.

Ross Morgan, President of Tokamak Energy K.K., introduced Dr. Toru Fukushima as the company’s new Vice President and Country Manager, and said afterwards: “We are thrilled to formally establish Tokamak Energy in Japan. This event was a major milestone and celebration for the company, supported by a great number of our friends, supporters and partners.

“We value these personal and business relationships deeply and look forward to a prosperous future together, accelerating towards the commercialisation of fusion energy and leading the development and deployment of transformative high-temperature superconducting (HTS) technology.”

Emil Levendoglu, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy Tokyo, said in his address how he was “struck” by the way Tokamak Energy has formed such positive relationships and how the company is “a template” for what the UK Government is trying to build across multiple sectors in Japan.

We would like to thank the British Embassy for hosting our event, which also included speeches in an entertaining mix of Japanese and English from Akira Tsuneto, Deputy Director General for Science Technology and Innovation Policy, Cabinet Office, Hideya Moridaira, President & CEO Furukawa Electric, Professor Akira Ejiri, University of Tokyo, and Margaret Tongue, Minister-Counsellor Economic Diplomacy at the British Embassy in Tokyo.

Yuichi Takase, Tokamak Energy’s Senior Technical Advisor, helped close the event. He said: “With Ms. Sanae Takaichi — a strong supporter of fusion power — now serving as Prime Minister, I believe Japan has an extraordinary opportunity to take global leadership in fusion energy. We look forward to working together with all of you to lead the world in bringing fusion power into commercial reality — right here in Japan.”

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