Plans to proceed with the bidding process to site a prototype nuclear fusion reactor in west Cumbria have been enthusiastically endorsed.

Copeland Borough Council's executive have unanimously agreed to endorse the proposals to enter the Moorside site, as well as "other suitable NDA-owned land around Sellafield", into a bidding process to determine the location of a prototype nuclear fusion reactor.

Copeland Borough Council is working with the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to draw together its full application for the bidding process, which is being conducted by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).

Bids must be submitted by the end of this month.

The prototype reactor in question is referred to as a "Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production" - tokamak being a particular type of fusion reactor design - and the UK Government hopes that it will be able to produce electricity by 2040, which could result in it being the world's first nuclear fusion power station.

Nuclear fusion involves a different process to what occurs in a normal nuclear power station, and occurs naturally in the Sun.

Scientists have pursued nuclear fusion technology for decades, as a safe method of generating colossal amounts of electricity without emitting greenhouse gases or producing nuclear waste.

Gosforth and Seascale Conservative councillor and the deputy chairman of Copeland's executive, David Moore, described the project as "exciting" at yesterday's executive meeting, in which unanimous endorsement was given to the plans for submitting Moorside and other NDA areas for consideration to the bidding process.

"Fusion's been talked about for 40 years", Mr Moore explained, but added that it's always been predicted as being decades away from being a viable source of power.

But now, Mr Moore said, based on the current progress of technology a working fusion reactor is "probably about 20 years away".

"I think we recognised right away that we've been at the leading edge of new technologies coming forward, at Sellafield, through Calder Hall and Windscale," Mr Moore said.

"We believe this would be the right place", Mr Moore added, for the UK make viable fusion power a reality.

Mr Moore explained that the Cumbria LEP had initially considered a proposal from the Barrow area as well, but concluded the Copeland option should be the one to be brought forward.

"We're obviously delighted by that," Mr Moore said.

Mr Moore cautioned that it will be a "really competitive process", and that there are "lots of areas that are really interested in bringing this forward".

However Mr Moore stressed that the area has a number of advantages, including the fact it is already home to a lot a research and development work in the nuclear sector, including at the National Nuclear Laboratory, housed at Sellafield.

"We also have the infrastructure," Mr Moore said, but added "most of all, we've got the supply chain already in place.

"I think we've got a lot going for our bid," he said.

"I think it's a really exciting bid, I'm delighted we've got the support of the LEP in putting ours forward."

Pat Graham, chief executive of Copeland Borough Council, added that Copeland's bid to host the prototype fusion reactor complemented the borough's ambition to be at the forefront of the "clean energy revolution".

She added that the bid had not simply come from a sense of "entitlement" to nuclear projects, or because of the area's historical relationship with the nuclear sector.

"We're going for this because we're the best place to do it, and it's the right time to invest in Copeland," Mrs Graham said.

"We will continue to push and make everyone aware that we think the fusion and that clean energy revolution will start here in Copeland."

Copeland's Conservative mayor, Mike Starkie, added his enthusiastic endorsement of the project.

"It's a very exciting project, and I look forward to seeing it develop in Copeland within the coming months," he said.