The US builds a 400 MW commercial fusion power plant

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) fusion energy startup, announced plans to build the world’s first commercial fusion power plant in the James River Industrial Park in Chesterfield County, Virginia, Interesting Engineering reported on December 18. According to Bob Mumgaard, CEO and co-founder of CFS, the company has conducted research globally to find a location for a commercial fusion power plant called ARC, which it will pay for, build, and build. owned and operated. The plant is expected to produce about 400 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enough to supply about 150,000 households.

Fusion technology offers a promising direction for clean energy production. This technology harnesses the energy of abundant fuels such as hydrogen and lithium isotopes, available from seawater. Unlike traditional fuels, fusion reactions do not produce emissions or toxic waste. However, achieving net energy yield from fusion reactions (producing more energy than consumed), is a long-standing challenge due to the need for extremely high temperatures to activate and maintain the reaction. In fact, fusion requires temperatures hotter than the Sun’s core to create and maintain the plasma state in which the process takes place. CFS is looking to overcome those obstacles.

Currently, CFS is completing an experimental fusion machine called SPARC in Devens, Massachusetts. SPARC will produce its first plasma (a superheated state of matter in which fusion reactions can occur) in 2026. After that, SPARC will reach net energy, demonstrating for the first time a possible commercial design. produces more electricity than it consumes. Successful development of SPARC will pave the way for ARC, which will supply electricity to the grid in the early 2030s.

“The project will create billions of dollars in economic development in the region and hundreds of jobs during the construction and long-term operation of the power plant,” CFS said.

CFS has reached a collaboration agreement with Dominion Energy Virginia, which owns the proposed site. The groundbreaking project in Chesterfield County represents an important step toward the transition to clean and sustainable fusion energy. However, currently all fusion energy research and development projects are still theoretical and it may take many years for this energy source to become a reality.