UK University Unveils First Nuclear Operations Training Simulator

Lancaster University has unveiled the Lancaster University Nuclear Operations Simulator, a reconfigurable control room training facility funded by a £2 million grant from the Office for Students. The facility is available for teaching from autumn 2026.

Tokamak Energy has installed its SOPHIA software as part of the facility, which includes a wrap-around screen and software for multiple reactor types — pressurised water reactors (PWRs), small modular reactors (SMRs), and fusion reactors. Software has been developed by GSE Solutions, Westinghouse, Norway's Institute for Energy Technology, and Tokamak Energy. The simulator supports teaching across nuclear engineering, cyber security, and related undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programmes.

SOPHIA was originally developed to predict, simulate, and validate experiments on Tokamak Energy's ST40 machine, allowing scientists and engineers to model scenarios without physical testing.

"We hope our tokamak simulator SOPHIA will inspire students to pursue a career in fusion energy and help make the world a better place for future generations," said Ross Morgan, Tokamak Energy's Fusion Managing Director.

The facility is aligned with the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy and National Nuclear Strategic Plans.