UKAEA Launches Fusion Diagnostics Centre of Excellence
Summary
UKAEA has launched the Diagnostics Innovation Centre of Excellence (DICE) at its Culham Campus in Oxfordshire to develop advanced measurement technology for fusion energy. The centre leverages decades of UK experience in fusion diagnostics from machines including JET and MAST Upgrade. DICE has already secured contracts worth over £10 million with 10 organisations and will serve as a hub for collaboration between UK industry, international fusion partners, and other sectors including medical research.
What changed
UKAEA announced the launch of the Diagnostics Innovation Centre of Excellence (DICE), a national hub for developing fusion diagnostics technology at Culham Campus in Oxfordshire. The centre will focus on designing, building and operating measurement systems for fusion machines, leveraging expertise from the JET and MAST Upgrade programmes. DICE has secured £10 million in contracts with 10 organisations since opening. The centre will also explore applications in medical research and other industries requiring precision diagnostics.
Affected parties including UK manufacturers, research institutions, and international fusion partners may benefit from DICE's expertise and collaboration opportunities. The centre will support supply chain growth across the UK and help train the next generation of fusion specialists. Companies in adjacent industries that require precision diagnostics should monitor DICE's activities for potential commercial opportunities.
What to do next
- Monitor for updates on DICE contract opportunities
- Review potential applications of fusion diagnostics technology in adjacent industries
Archived snapshot
Apr 15, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Press release
UK centre to lead the world in fusion diagnostics
UKAEA launches Diagnostics Innovation Centre of Excellence (DICE) to strengthen UK's position as a world leader in fusion diagnostics.
From: UK Atomic Energy Authority and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Published 14 April 2026
Image credit: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
- Centre leverages decades of UK experience in designing, building and operating diagnostics systems for fusion machines, including JET and MAST Upgrade.
- DICE will be a hub for diagnostics knowledge, benefitting global fusion partners and adjacent UK industries that require precision diagnostics.
- DICE has secured contracts worth £10m so far. The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has launched a national centre to develop the advanced measurement technology needed to make fusion energy a reality.
The Diagnostics Innovation Centre of Excellence (DICE), based at UKAEA’s Culham Campus in Oxfordshire, will strengthen the UK’s position as a world leader in fusion diagnostics – the specialised systems that measure what is happening inside a fusion machine.
Since opening, DICE has already secured contracts with 10 organisations, with a combined value of more than £10 million.
What does DICE do?
Fusion energy works by heating a gas called plasma to extreme temperatures. To control this process safely, scientists need to measure the plasma’s temperature, density, shape and stability in real time. This is what diagnostics systems do – and designing them requires highly specialist knowledge.
DICE brings together experts with decades of experience in designing, building and operating diagnostics systems for machines including MAST Upgrade and JET (Joint European Torus), which was the world’s largest operational fusion machine. This puts the UK’s team among the most experienced in the world.
The centre will also explore how its technology can benefit other industries, including medical research, opening up new commercial opportunities beyond fusion.
David Croft, Head of DICE at UKAEA, said:
DICE’s capabilities are growing steadily, with cutting-edge equipment now installed in our laboratories. But the greatest strength is our people. With decades of experience spanning diagnostics design, build, installation, analysis and operation, the DICE team provides expertise which is second to none.
Supporting UK growth and global collaboration
DICE will act as a hub for collaboration between UK industry, international fusion partners, and other sectors that can benefit from fusion-derived technologies. It will support supply chain growth across the UK and help train the next generation of fusion specialists.
Over time, DICE will play a central role in shaping the future of fusion technology – both in the UK and around the world.
DICE Fusion Diagnostics Laboratory
DICE Fusion Diagnostics Laboratory
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Published 14 April 2026
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