Fusion Forward: TVA & Type One Energy Unite to Develop Next-Gen Nuclear Promise
Nuclear fusion is exciting to consider, but remains pretty much an experimental thing, part of a dream to create an unlimited amount of energy for an unlimited future full of wonder. Power of the sun in the palm of our hands?
Yet real, if small progress in creating net energy gain from fusion tests is encouraging numerous entities, including federal utility Tennessee Valley Authority, to start work toward future nuclear fusion power plants.
TVA has entered into a cooperative agreement with Type One Energy to develop plans for a potential 350-MW TVA fusion power plant project in the Tennessee Valley region using Type One Energy stellarator fusion power technology.
The pilot power plant, called Infinity Two, will offer a complementary source of baseload electrical generation for the region by mid-2030. If successful, it will also be able to repurpose retired TVA fossil fuel power plant infrastructure along with deployment onto greenfield sites in support of energy security and reliability.
“Unleashing America’s energy potential will take all forms of generation including fusion,” said Joe Hoagland, TVA vice president Innovation and Research, in a statement. “Energy security is national security, and we are focused on developing a technology, supply chain, and delivery model to build an industry that can power America and the world.”
The agreement expands on Project Infinity, launched by Type One Energy, TVA, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in early 2024, with support from the state of Tennessee. Project Infinity, originally centered on deploying the Type One Energy Infinity One stellarator prototype in TVA’s Bull Run power plant, now includes a broader engagement towards commercialization of fusion energy.
TVA and Type One Energy will collaborate on Infinity Two fusion power plant siting studies, environmental reviews, and licensing, as well as development of project plans and financing from various sources. Type One Energy will support TVA in its evaluation and review of the project.
The elusive promise of scalable nuclear fusion has been pursued by researchers for years, including the multinational International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor megaproject planned to be completed in France by 2025. The ITER’s reactor hopes to use 300 MW of electricity to infuse elemental plasma (such as superheated hydrogen) to create about 500 MW of heat for periods up to 10 minutes.
Fusing atoms together, in theory, would release a multi-fold level of energy beyond other resources, without generating the radioactive nuclear waste of fission, which is used now in nuclear power plants. It also could boost thermal power efforts to provide baseload energy while meeting global climate goals.
Nuclear fission, which acts in the opposite reaction by splitting atoms apart and capturing that energy, is generating all of nuclear power currently in the world for commercial operations and in U.S. nuclear submarines. The U.S. has more than 90 operational nuclear reactor units generating close to 19% of utility-scale electricity nationwide.
Three years ago, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California achieved a net energy gain of about 1.1 megajoules from its successful fusion test. Others have built slightly on that progress.
Nonetheless, the promise of future fusion is inspiring ventures from utilities and other power developers in the U.S., Canada and globally. Last year in Virginia, a privately held fusion developer named Commonwealth Fusion Systems revealed plans to build a power plant at the James River Industrial Center on land currently owned by utility Dominion Energy.
Dominion Virginia itself is involved in providing non-financial contributions, including development and technical expertise as well as leasing rights for the proposed site. Dominion Energy owns and operates numerous nuclear fission plants within its power generation fleet.
Type One Energy Group was founded to pursue fusion projects and make them commercially viable. The CEO is Christopher Mowry, a longtime industry veteran who previously headed up Canadian firm General Fusion and spent a part of his career leading engineering and construction firm Babcock & Wilcox’s B&W Nuclear Energy division.
