Fusion Industry Leaders Meet With DOE Leadership, Applaud U.S. Government Fusion Prioritization and Urge Funding
Press Release
Fusion Industry Leaders Meet With DOE leadership, Applaud U.S. Government Fusion Prioritization and Urge Funding
- The Fusion Industry Association (FIA) and fusion industry leaders from member companies Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Focused Energy, Helion Energy, Inertia Enterprises, Kyoto Fusioneering, Marvel Fusion, Pacific Fusion, Realta Fusion, TAE Technologies, Thea Energy, Tokamak Energy, Type One Energy, Xcimer Energy, and Zap Energy were invited by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) leadership to discuss the shared goal of accelerating fusion deployment in the United States.
- Industry applauds the creation of the new Office of Fusion and the role it can play in leading the public sector’s role in the commercialization of fusion. Industry supports the DOE’s newly released fusion roadmap, which recognizes the imminent arrival of commercial fusion as a national strategic priority with AI and quantum.
- Industry leaders emphasized the importance of new government funding to complete the progress towards fusion, in partnership and on par with the private sector’s investment, as the global race to deployment accelerates and China advances.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec 9, 2025): Global electricity demand is surging, driven by artificial intelligence and data centers, advanced manufacturing, quantum computing, and cryptocurrency. Fusion offers the promise of virtually unlimited, secure, and affordable power that will transform the global economy for generations. It is the key to unlocking the energy leadership required to compete and win as a country. And with the private sector’s push to deliver electrons on the grid in the early 2030s, commercial fusion is no longer a question of “when.” It is a question of who does it first and where.
Fusion industry leaders were invited by U.S. Department of Energy leadership to discuss the shared goal of accelerating commercial fusion deployment in the United States. Industry leaders applauded the Trump Administration’s championing of fusion energy with the new dedicated Office of Fusion, the Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap, and the inclusion of fusion as part of the Genesis Mission. The recent initiatives are promising steps to mobilize U.S. scientific excellence, ensure global leadership in fusion, and capture the economic and technology advantages that will accompany it.
It is now time to make an investment in resources to match the nation’s ambition. China and other strategic competitors are mobilizing billions to develop the technology and capture the fusion future. The United States has invested in fusion R&D for decades; now is the time to complete the final step to commercialize the technology.
To lead, the U.S. needs targeted federal investment and a strategy that speeds up commercialization. The DOE’s roadmap provides the strategy; the investment must now follow.
Three years ago, AI and fusion sprung into the spotlight together when ChatGPT was released to the public in the same week as the National Ignition Facility achieved fusion ignition. Their unique combination will bring many benefits to society. AI is helping solve the remaining complex challenges of bringing commercial fusion online and optimizing fusion power plants. Fusion promises virtually unlimited power that can be built anywhere and scaled quickly. Together, AI and fusion can unlock a new age of abundance and a future with fewer constraints.
Executives of the world’s leading fusion energy companies urged the federal government to act with the scale and speed this moment demands. The U.S. needs to make a commitment and fund a national fusion commercialization agenda that accelerates the deployment of first-of-a-kind demonstration plants, invests in critical research infrastructure, and builds resilient supply chains.
This is a moment as pivotal as the space race. The U.S. cannot allow competitor countries to win the race to deploy fusion first. It must invest the resources to ensure America leads the world in commercial fusion power.
With decisive action, America can deliver secure, virtually unlimited baseload power, create the next wave of manufacturing jobs, power the age of artificial intelligence, and ultimately make energy more affordable.
Perspectives from leaders at participating companies:
“The United States should be a global leader in fusion based on its long history of support. It’s time to put the country on par with other members of the coalition of the ambitious.”
Andrew Holland, CEO, Fusion Industry Association
“We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to accelerate commercialization and create a global economy that is defined by fusion power. It is encouraging to see growth in the partnership between the public and private sectors as that will help to catalyze the development of the fusion industry and provide the support it needs to successfully scale.”
Bob Mumgaard, Co-founder and CEO, Commonwealth Fusion Systems
“The future of energy is fusion. TAE is committed to delivering abundant, clean and firm baseload power with the potential to lower energy prices, power AI and drive American manufacturing. This is a national security and economic race that our country can’t afford to lose.”
Michl Binderbauer, CEO, TAE Technologies
“This is the place where the rubber meets the roadmap. Private industry, government, and outside experts have all aligned on where we need to go, the speed we need to move, and the enormous opportunity that’s waiting for us if we execute our plans. We applaud the Department for taking decisive action to move the industry forward on a timescale that matters.”
Kieran Furlong, CEO, Realta Fusion
“These recent key initiatives are a testament to the DOE’s prioritization of fusion, matching the technical milestones from the fusion industry that demonstrate a commercial path in the near-term. Fusion energy will enable and accelerate energy abundance, but it will require commensurate support. Thea Energy is proud to partner with industry peers and the DOE to build this momentum into deployable, grid-ready fusion power.”
Brian Berzin, Co-founder and CEO, Thea Energy
“We stand at the intersection of two transformative technologies: AI and fusion energy. As AI drives soaring electricity demand, fusion offers a credible path to abundant, competitive, and scalable power. We applaud the DOE’s leadership in establishing a sound national fusion science and technology roadmap and launching the Office of Fusion. With strong industry–federal partnership and bold federal commitment, we can mobilize private capital and bring fusion to the grid in the 2030s.”
Moritz Von der Linden, CEO, Marvel Fusion
“Fusion is a generational opportunity. The DOE and the Genesis Mission can ensure the U.S. remains at the forefront, bridging the gap between research and commercialization and making that opportunity real.”
Marvi Matos Rodríguez, Senior Vice President of Technology, Zap Energy
“Commercial fusion advances fastest through public private partnership, and our tokamak ST40 is pioneering that model in practice. We look forward to deepening our work with the DOE and harnessing AI to push the frontier even further.”
Michael Ginsberg, U.S. President, Tokamak Energy
“The launch of the Office of Fusion signals a historic alignment between government and private ambitions. However, ambition requires fuel. To turn the Roadmap into reality, we need federal funding that matches the scale of the opportunity. Strong, well-funded public-private partnership is the fastest path to putting unlimited electrons on the U.S. grid.”
Bibake Uppal, Head of Kyoto Fusioneering America
About The Fusion Industry Association (FIA)
The FIA is the leading voice of the fusion industry and a central point for coordination across the global fusion community to support accelerated growth.
