The nuclear industry has welcomed European Commission plans for a concerted effort on small modular reactors. A new international consortium plans to demonstrate the technology in Belgium

In a Parliament debate last week, the leadership of ITER gave a fraught assessment of the issues plaguing the international fusion project. Some MEPs are warning the project’s survival is at risk

London won’t rejoin the EU’s Euratom programme after missing out on too many big fusion construction contracts. It could find a workaround to stay partially involved in ITER, but that will need agreement of the project’s founding members – including Russia

MEPs believe investment in small modular reactors is needed for Europe to develop a sustainable  low-carbon energy system

$1.4B has been raised and 13 fusion start-ups have launched in the past year globally. But the industry now faces a valley of death as it tries to attract fresh money to build nuclear fusion prototypes

Despite the auditors’ warning, managers of the fusion energy project say Russia is currently sticking to its commitments, with a giant magnet dispatched from St Petersburg earlier this month

Despite its massive investment in the ITER fusion project in France, the EU is home to only a tiny fraction of fusion start-ups. The technology may be far from proven, but Europe is already falling behind in preparing for commercial deployment

With its promise of emissions-free, abundant power, fusion energy could play a key role in reaching zero carbon targets. But critics say the technology won’t arrive in time and the money would be better invested elsewhere

New European Court of Auditors report finds there is a risk of further cost increases and delays to the ITER project. All other Horizon 2020 joint undertakings have ‘healthy’ financial management but some are behind schedule on implementation

Nuclear device, due for switch on in 2020, will pursue the long held dream of controlled atomic power