World’s Most Advanced Tritium Production Plant From ENI And UKAEA

UK-Italy alliance to revolutionise clean energy by creating centre of excellence for future fusion fuel management

A rendering of the UKAEA-ENI H3AT Tritium Loop Facility shows a state-of-the-art facility for the management of tritium, a key isotope in nuclear fusion: this centre of excellence will become operational in 2028 and will enable the development of innovative technologies to extract and reuse fuel, reducing costs and environmental impact.

A clean energy future is being created in Culham, Oxfordshire, where ENI and the UK Atomic Energy Authority have signed a historic agreement to build the world’s largest and most advanced facility dedicated to managing tritium, a key fuel for nuclear fusion. The facility, called the UKAEA-ENI H3AT Tritium Loop Facility, will be operational in 2028 and will become a global reference point for research and development of innovative fusion energy solutions.
Nuclear fusion, the process that powers the Sun, mimics the reaction between deuterium and tritium, two isotopes of hydrogen, on Earth, producing helium and releasing vast amounts of energy without emissions. This safe and virtually endless process promises to revolutionise the global energy landscape, contributing to decarbonisation and energy security.

Viewed from above, the Culham Fusion Centre stands out in the Oxfordshire countryside as a hub of scientific innovation: its expansion with the new H3AT facility marks a historic step for nuclear fusion, positioning the UK as a world leader in the quest for safe, sustainable and carbon-free energy.

Culham opens unprecedented 3H Centre of Excellence

The H3AT facility will be designed to study and manage the tritium cycle, a critical element for the operation of future fusion power plants. Tritium is a rare and difficult-to-manage fuel, but its recovery and reuse will be critical to improving the efficiency and sustainability of fusion technology.
Tritium, or tritium, or hydrogen-3, is the third isotope of the element hydrogen, after protium and deuterium, and has the symbol 3H (or also T, often used in chemistry). This isotope has a nucleus formed by a proton and two neutrons, which is unstable and undergoes beta decay. It is thus the first radioactive isotope of a chemical element, as well as the first isotope of hydrogen itself.
Tritium is extremely rare on Earth, occurring in one atom for every 10 hydrogen atoms to the eighteenth power. However, this element is present in the atmosphere in small quantities, as it is continuously produced, mainly by the interaction of cosmic rays with gases in the upper atmosphere, especially nitrogen, but it is also produced in various processes related to nuclear energy, both civil and military.

Claudio Descalzi has led ENI since 2014 and has steered the company towards the energy transition and innovation in nuclear fusion: with a degree in physics and over forty years of experience, he supports research into tritium as the fuel of the future, promoting international cooperation in clean and sustainable energy.

Ian Chapman, UKAEA’s Director General, is a pioneer in nuclear fusion research and tritium management: a plasma physicist, he has published over 100 papers in the field and is the UK’s leader in the race for clean energy; through an agreement with ENI, he aims to make the country a global hub for fusion energy development.

The future is achievable, say Ian Chapman and Claudio Descalzi

“Tritium is the key element for the success of nuclear fusion,”

explains Professor Sir Ian Chapman, Director General of UKAEA.

“With H3AT we are creating a centre of excellence that will not only accelerate the development of this technology but will also position the UK as a world leader in this field.”

For its part, ENI will contribute to the project using its experience in managing large plants and mitigating the risks associated with the development roadmap.

“We firmly believe in the potential of nuclear fusion,”

Claudio Descalzi, CEO of ENI.

“This collaboration with UKAEA is an important step towards a more sustainable and fair energy future.”

At a press conference to launch the project, senior management from ENI and UKAEA presented the partnership to make H3AT a reality, highlighting the key role of tritium in nuclear fusion: the event demonstrated how collaboration between industry and research can accelerate the development of technologies for a clean and independent energy future.

Real international cooperation for a zero-emission future

The partnership between ENI and the UK Atomic Energy Authority is not limited to the construction of the H3AT plant. The two organisations will also collaborate on the development of other advanced fusion technologies, encouraging the transfer of expertise and knowledge between the two countries.
UK Climate Secretary Kerry McCarthy highlighted the strategic importance of this new collaboration:

“This initiative not only supports our goals of achieving economic growth and energy independence, but also accelerates the path to a zero-emission future.”

The H3AT plant will, in essence, not only facilitate scientific research, but also create economic opportunities and jobs, helping to establish an innovative ecosystem in the fusion energy sector.

The Culham Fusion Energy Centre is at the heart of the UK’s nuclear fusion research, with laboratories where scientists and engineers study how to mimic the Sun’s reactions to produce clean energy: thanks to an agreement with ENI, the centre will house a state-of-the-art tritium reprocessing plant, accelerating the global energy transition.

Towards a shared future with cleaner, more abundant energy

Nuclear fusion power is one of the most promising solutions to climate change and the energy transition. Unlike nuclear fission, fusion produces no long-term radioactive waste and uses abundant and affordable fuels such as deuterium and tritium.
The former Italian National Hydrocarbon Agency and the UK Atomic Energy Authority are at the forefront of this technological revolution. With the H3AT plant, they are laying the foundations for a future where clean, safe and sustainable energy is available to everyone.

“Nuclear fusion is no longer a distant dream,”

Finally, Claudio Descalzi added.

“This partnership brings the finish line closer.”

The glowing green tritium rod highlights the unique properties of this radioactive isotope of hydrogen that will be used in future fusion reactors: its light emission is produced by the beta decay of tritium, a phenomenon that is also used in autonomous lighting devices, but which requires sophisticated localization and recovery technology.

Tritium, represented by fluorescent rods, is an important isotope for nuclear fusion, but its rarity and radioactivity make it difficult to manage: the new H3AT plant will develop solutions to recover and recycle it, reducing waste and increasing the sustainability of future reactors, thereby bringing fusion power closer to reality.

Global Challenges for a More Sustainable Future

The ENI-UKAEA collaboration is therefore a good example of how international cooperation and technological innovation can accelerate the transition to a zero-emission future. The H3AT plant in Oxfordshire is not just an ambitious project, but also a symbol of the global determination to meet the energy challenges of the 21st century.
As Professor Chapman concludes: