North Ayrshire: Ardeer pupils back nuclear fusion plant

Children from P6 at Ardeer Primary School have produced a series of drawings of how the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) plant might look if the bid to bring it to their neighbourhood is successful.

The drawings will form part of a presentation from the bid’s backers to representatives of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) during their final site visit to Ardeer on Tuesday, January 25.

Early last year, UKAEA solicited bids from around Britain to find a suitable site to base STEP.

The Ardeer bid, produced by a consortium called Fusion Forward (Ardeer) led by the University of Glasgow, North Ayrshire Council, and landowners NPL Group, is one of the five proposals under consideration. It is the only Scottish site still in contention.

The drawings illustrate some of the potential benefits of STEP for the region.

Pupils have chosen to highlight how STEP could bring new jobs and training opportunities and explain how fusion power might help reduce carbon emissions around the world.

Fusion technology harnesses the energy generated when atoms are pressed together under conditions similar to those found in the centre of stars.

Unlike the fission reactions harnessed in conventional nuclear power plants, which generate potentially dangerous radioactive waste products, fusion reactions have the potential to create abundant zero-carbon power while producing helium, a harmless inert gas, as a by-product.

The pupils’ drawings are the result of a virtual visit to the class from Fusion Forward (Ardeer) earlier this year.

Anne Surgenor, Head Teacher of Ardeer Primary School said: “We are delighted to have been involved in STEP.

"The children were fascinated to hear about how fusion energy works and excited about the possibility of a breakthrough in environmentally-friendly energy generation happening right where they live.”