--- title: "Thermal Buffer Technology" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-060f8f" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-060f8f" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060f8f.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060f8f.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "UNITED KINGDOM INDUSTRIAL FUSION SOLUTIONS" published: "2026-01-28" --- # Thermal Buffer Technology Buyer: UNITED KINGDOM INDUSTRIAL FUSION SOLUTIONS Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-060f8f [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-060f8f) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060f8f.json) ## Summary 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. ## Notice 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. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007421-2026 | | 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 | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 28 Jan 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 27 Mar 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Mar 2029 - 31 Mar 2033 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | UNITED KINGDOM INDUSTRIAL FUSION SOLUTIONS | | Locality | CULHAM | | Post town | Oxford | | Postcode | OX14 3DB | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire | | ITL 3 | TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC | | Local authority | South Oxfordshire | | Electoral ward | Sandford & the Wittenhams | | Westminster constituency | Didcot and Wantage | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 45 - Construction work - 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services ### Codes - 45251000 - Construction works for power plants and heating plants - 45251140 - Thermal power plant construction work - 73300000 - Design and execution of research and development ## Release History - 28 Jan 2026 at 10:05 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007421-2026 - 27 Jan 2026 at 12:06 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007051-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007421-2026 28th January 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007051-2026 27th January 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://ukifs.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=1009995808 - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-060f8f. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060f8f.json.