- Dassault Systèmes closes £30m deal to support UK fusion energy program
- The 3DEXPERIENCE platform will enable digital twin modeling, testing and more
- The STEP program could create more than 10,000 jobs, including opportunities at Dassault
Dassault Systèmes has partnered with UK Fusion Energy in a new £30m deal to support the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) programme, supporting the UK’s efforts to build the world’s first prototype fusion power plant by 2040.
Under the new contract, Dassault will provide the project with its 3DEXPERIENCE platform to support digital twins, critical to the development of next-generation power plants and broader fusion research.
The software will also be used by engineers, designers, scientists, manufacturers, construction partners and many others to collaborate with the same data and context, creating a platform for the project. Dassault described the tool as a “standardized and connected engineering environment.”
Dassault Système’s role in digital twins
The multi-million euro software package reduces the need for separate CAD files, simulation models, engineering databases and more, improving overall project value.
It will also be used by engineers to model, test and optimize systems using digital twins – a digital mock-up of the power plant in a virtual environment.
“[STEP’s Plant Information Management System]powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, will play a vital role in enabling rapid, efficient and rigorous engineering delivery while creating the blueprint for future fusion power plants,” wrote Debbie Kempton, Director of the UK Fusion Energy Engineering Program.
“This deployment will strengthen engineering continuity, accelerate innovation and ensure that plant information, engineering decisions and system designs remain fully connected throughout the lifecycle of the power plant prototype,” added John Turnbull, Managing Director of Dassault Systèmes EuroNorth.
STEP, which received a further £2.5 billion in government investment in June 2025, is set to be built on the site of a former coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire.
The fusion power plant is getting closer to reality
This announcement also marks the next stage of this long-term program, moving it from scientific research to pre-production.
Already this year, Tokamak Energy signed a £70 million contract to develop high-temperature superconducting magnets that will power the fusion plant.
The government predicts the project could create up to 10,000 jobs across the construction, engineering and supply chains, including the impact the new £30 million contract will have on employment at Dassault Systèmes. It is unclear how long the agreement will last and whether Dassault will have to re-launch a tender to accommodate competition.
Final designs are expected to be completed and construction is expected to begin around 2032, with approximately eight years of construction, installation and other commissioning to bring the site into operation.
As for Dassault itself, the £30m contract represents a major deal for the company, which signed another major deal with the Volkswagen Group in early 2025 to support thousands of engineers with virtual twins throughout the development of vehicles for brands including VW, Audi and Porsche.
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