Electrical equipment and apparatus

Tender description

The authority has a requirement for a new high voltage power supply. The UK Atomic Energy Authority is a non-deparmental government body carrying out research into the potential of nuclear fusion as a source of energy. The UK fusion Programme is centred on the innovative MAST (Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak) experiment which is operated by the authority and is based at Culham Science Centre and employs around 150 people. The Programme is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the European Union under the Euratom treaty MAST has led studies into the spherical Tokamak, a compact fusion concept pioneered at Culham. A major upgrade of the MAST machine is currently underway and this will enhance MAST's role in international research to: — make the case for a fusion component test facility, — add to the knowledge base for ITER, — test reactor concepts. The authority requires a high voltage power supply for the MAST upgrade project to feed part of a Plasma Heating System with up to 80 000 volts dc at 70 Amps.