THE world’s first commercial nuclear fusion power plant could be built in Oxfordshire.

The Oxford Mail has been told the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus could one day house Europe’s High Power laser energy Research facility (HiPER).

The project could be pumping electricity into the national grid within decades.

Nuclear fusion has been the holy grail of power production — offering a clean, safe and sustainable source of energy., according to its proponents.

Now a report by science funding body Research Councils UK has called for work to develop a business case for the project, following successful experiments at a similar facility run by the US Department of Energy using laser fusion.

If the US project shows some of the fusion scientists’ toughest challenges have finally been overcome, the multi-billion pound European project – spearheaded from Harwell’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory – could be built by 2030.

A business case will be completed by April next year.

If it is approved, the rest of the decade would be spent preparing the technology to start building work in 2020, with fusion energy powering thousands of homes by 2050.

HiPER Fusion project director Chris Edwards said: “In America, they have got the laser working at full specification.

“There is a fairly comprehensive series of tests to go through, but it is going better than many people expected.

“We are on the line, preparing for the starting pistol.”

While no site has yet been selected, the Didcot area’s concentration of hi-tech science labs would make it a logical choice, said Dr Edwards.

He added: “The UK is one of the possible host nations, and within the UK, the Harwell Campus and the Didcot area is a possible location.

“A lot of things have to happen before it is built here, but we are obviously very keen, There is space for it to be built in Harwell.”

Terry Joslin, chairman of the campus’ local stakeholders group, said: “I know that if it comes to the site, they have got room for it.

“They have the expertise, because the Rutherford Appleton is Europe’s leading laser laboratory. They have done preliminary experiments here with the Vulcan laser, and the project’s team leader is based here as well.”

Dr Edwards said he was convinced of fusion power’s potential to solve the world’s energy crisis.

He said: “The difference now is there is an imperative to come up with an energy supply as fast as possible.

“In the past, it has been attractive but an academic interest because it has not been urgent.”

Didcot Mayor Margaret Turner said: “It is incredible to think we will be so close to something like this if it is built.

“Many people do not realise some of the amazing things going on right on our doorstep.”