I’d like to build and operate a fusion power plant— who will license it?

Some countries like the USA and the UK have recently taken their position towards regulation of fusion power plants. Pressure to set up regulatory frameworks comes from political leaders and the industry, as several private companies have attracted sufficient funding to start building fusion prototypes and demonstration devices. Their investment decisions depend critically on the predictability of licensing, so these countries have launched ambitious fusion energy strategies and appropriate regulatory consultation processes to create a risk-appropriate regulatory environment. The EU is moving at a slower speed but following the developments closely. We summarize the status in these countries and speculate also how it would work in Finland — now, and later under the renewed Nuclear Energy Act.