A solid oxide fuel cell stacking assembly that utilises a first reactant and a second reactant to produce electrical power comprises:- (a) a stack having at least one fuel cell assembly; (b) means for establishing electrical connection to each end of the stack; (c) means for introducing a first reactant into a first end of each of first-reactant transverse flow channels and removing first reactant from a second end of each of first-reactant transverse flow channels; (d) means for introducing a second reactant into a first end of each of second-reactant transverse flow channels and removing second reactant from a second end of each second-reactant transverse flow channels. Each fuel cell assembly comprises: (i) at least two fuel cell plate subassemblies (36,38,38') each comprising: (ia) a fuel cell manifold plate, (40) having a fuel cell manifold plate through-plate central opening; (ib) an annular fuel cell plate bellows (48) in the fuel cell manifold plate central opening and sealed to the fuel cell manifold plate; and (ic) a fuel cell plate (54) the fuel cell plate bellows central opening (52) and sealed to the fuel cell plate bellows; and (ii) at least one interconnect subassembly, each disposed between a pair of fuel cell plate sub-assemblies, each interconnect subassembly; (iia) an interconnect manifold plate (60) having a first-reactant transverse flow channel (60) on a first side, a second-reactant transverse (62) flow channel on a second side, and an interconnect manifold through-plate central opening; (iib) an annular interconnect bellows (66) in the interconnect manifold central opening and sealed to the interconnect manifold, the interconnect bellows having a central opening; and (iiic) an electrically conductive interconnect plate in the interconnect bellows central opening and sealed to the interconnect bellows, the interconnect plate being impermeable to the first reactant and the second reactant and having compliant metallic interconnect protrusions extending from each side. Also claimed is another embodiment of a solid oxide fuel cell stacking assembly.    ADVANTAGE -   The stacking assembly is resistant to damage produced by the accumulation of thermal strains. The fuel cell can be made of different materials having different thermal expansion coeffts., e.g. metals and ceramics. The fuel cell can be mfd. less expensively than conventional fuel cells.