U.S. Congress Introduces Bipartisan and Bicameral Legislation to Cement the Department of Energy Office of Fusion
Following the U.S. Department of Energy’s recent reorganization to create a dedicated Office of Fusion, Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced a bill to codify the Office of Fusion on December 11. The legislation would cement the dedicated office to prioritize energy production, enhance American energy security, and promote U.S. leadership in fusion. On December 15, Representatives Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), Don Beyer (D-Virginia), and Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
The provisions laid out in the legislation realize the industry’s acceleration and reinforce the urgency for the U.S. to lead globally.
Key Provisions:
- 2028 Construction Goal: The bills include a goal to start construction on more than one private-sector fusion power plant by December 31, 2028.
- Commercial Roadmap: The legislation requires a commercial deployment roadmap to be submitted to Congress and updated periodically (at least every 4 years).
- Strategic Shift: The move builds on the DOE’s administrative reorganization, a shift supported by the Fusion Industry Association to align agency programming with commercialization needs.
The dedicated Office of Fusion is an institutional step that acknowledges fusion rapidly moving from research to delivery. The proposed legislation aims to ensure the dedicated fusion office has the statutory power, budget, and commercial focus to further accelerate efforts.
The Fusion Industry Association thanks Senators Padilla and Cornyn, and Representatives Obernolte, Beyer, and Trahan for their bipartisan and bicameral leadership introducing the bills, and looks forward to seeing the legislation passed into law.
