An exciting new chapter has begun on the Culham Campus in Oxfordshire, as demolition work starts on the building that will make way for LIBRTI – a flagship programme at the forefront of the UK’s fusion energy ambitions.
The LIBRTI (Lithium Breeding Tritium Innovation) programme, a ~£220 million, six-year investment, marks a critical step in turning fusion from scientific possibility into industrial reality. LIBRTI will house a world-leading neutron source within a heavily shielded blockhouse. Around it, engineers will install multi-tonne lithium-based experimental systems designed to test and validate the technologies needed for future fusion power plants.
The programme is breathing new life into existing infrastructure, repurposing facilities that once supported the Joint European Torus (JET). This approach not only preserves valuable elements of the site’s legacy but also aligns with sustainable principles by “locking in carbon of the past” while building for the future.
With demolition now underway inside the former JET estate, the transformation of the site signals more than just construction progress – it is the moment when years of planning and collaboration become tangible.
As Amanda, Executive Director of Materials, Blankets and Research at the UK Atomic Energy Authority, highlighted, “today is an incredibly exciting day… we are repurposing the JET estate to build a globally-relevant test bed towards the viability of future fusion power plants.”
