Planning

Thermal Buffer Technology

UNITED KINGDOM INDUSTRIAL FUSION SOLUTIONS

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

28 Jan 2026 at 10:05

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

27 Jan 2026 at 12:06

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

United Kingdom Industrial Fusion Solutions (UKIFS), located at Culham Science Centre in Abingdon, is in the planning stage of a procurement process titled "Thermal Buffer Technology". This falls under the industry category of engineering design services related to power plants and involves the development of a thermal storage system for integrating with the STEP power cycle. The process is currently at the preliminary market engagement phase, with key activities involving a market engagement questionnaire due by 27th March 2026. The engagement aims to gain insights into market capabilities to inform future procurement activities. The procurement method is based on public undertaking, with the primary category being services. The contract period is scheduled to start on 1st April 2029 and end on 31st March 2033, focused on the broad region of the United Kingdom.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in thermal energy storage solutions, including latent and sensible heat storage, molten salt systems, and thermal battery technologies. Companies with expertise in engineering design, particularly in electrical power systems, and plant engineering design will find this opportunity advantageous for business growth. By engaging in this procurement process, businesses can contribute to the next generation of power plant infrastructure, enhancing their market position and technological advancements in thermal storage systems. With key requirements including rapid ramping of thermal loads and integration with high-power systems, firms with innovative solutions and advanced expertise in these areas will be well-suited to compete.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Thermal Buffer Technology

Notice Description

The following summary is not intended as a complete or definitive specification of the requirement. A purpose of this engagement is to seek information from the market to help refine our understanding and aid the development of a future specification. UKIFS is seeking experts to support the design and development of a thermal storage system that integrates with the STEP power cycle. While the power cycle is designed to efficiently integrate heat from the tokamak device during a high power steady state scenario, the power cycle and cooling systems must also be highly flexible to adapt to uncertain prototypic operations e.g. the systems must have the ability to switch on and off and ramp up and down at the start and end of operational periods. Significant thermal power will be generated from the tokamak device during the 'rapid density rise phase' of the reactor plasma ramp up, lasting a few minutes. This is an effective ramp of 2GWth generated from the tokamak during these few minutes. To manage this very immediate and sudden generation of heat from the tokamak, a minimum amount of thermal storage will be needed to increase the thermal inertia of the primary coolant loops, allowing the power cycle to ramp up to 100% load in a timely manner. Further, thermal storage may be needed to enable partial operation of the power cycle during the transition between the initial pre-heat to part load operational period. The thermal storage system will be expected to extract heat from a hot CO2 primary coolant during the ramp up phase and deliver heat back to the CO2 primary coolant (or to a separate secondary working fluid) during the ramp down phase. The proposed technical operating conditions of the thermal storage system and load requirements are: -CO2 primary coolant operating pressure: 50 to 150 bar. -CO2 primary coolant operating temperature: 550degC to 650degC. -Thermal duty in the region of 800MW. -Required energy storage of 150MWh. -Required fast ramping duration in a few minutes. Systems of interest & key words: -Thermal energy storage -Latent heat storage -Sensible heat storage -Thermochemical heat storage -Thermal battery -Molten salt storage systems -Molten salt heat exchangers/ steam generators -Phase change materials -Metallic phase change materials -Solid state energy storage -Packed bed storage -Concrete battery -Sand battery Please note that the CPV codes given in this notice have now been corrected. To view this notice, please click here: https://ukifs.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=1009995808

Planning Information

To participate in this exercise, please complete and submit Appendix 1: Questionnaire and return any documents via the Delta portal. We are conscious of your time (and grateful to you for taking the time to complete the questionnaire), therefore we suggest you limit your responses to a maximum of 5 pages. If there are any areas you would like to expand on, please add a note to the relevant section for future discussion. If you experience any difficulties with the portal, please contact the portal helpdesk helpdesk@delta-esourcing.com cc operationalprocurement.step@ukifs.uk Information obtained from responses to Appendix 1: Questionnaire will help UKIFS understand current market capabilities and may shape the scope, direction, and design of the future procurement activities. If you have any questions about this Preliminary Market Engagement, please contact UKIFS through the Delta portal. We are keen to engage with suppliers to assist with the questionnaire if needed, to ensure quality responses enabling us to shape the future requirement and procurement. Following the submission and review of questionnaires, UKIFS intends to run an online conference call meeting/seminar/Q&A. The closing date for the pre-market engagement is Friday 27th March 2026, 1 pm. Please note the CPV codes in this notice are now correct.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-060f8f
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007421-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

45 - Construction work

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

45251000 - Construction works for power plants and heating plants

45251140 - Thermal power plant construction work

73300000 - Design and execution of research and development

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Jan 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
27 Mar 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Mar 2029 - 31 Mar 2033 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UNITED KINGDOM INDUSTRIAL FUSION SOLUTIONS
Contact Name
Operational Procurement
Contact Email
operationalprocurement.step@ukifs.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
CULHAM
Postcode
OX14 3DB
Post Town
Oxford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
South Oxfordshire
Electoral Ward
Sandford & the Wittenhams
Westminster Constituency
Didcot and Wantage

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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