On 27 January 2026, the Fusion Industry Association (FIA) convened policymakers, industry leaders, and investors at the European Parliament for the high-level public hearing event “Fusion Energy in Europe: Call for Action.” The event marked a decisive moment for Europe’s fusion community, as political attention converged with growing industrial readiness.
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.
At a roundtable with the Department of Energy, the private fusion industry urged officials to invest billions in order to compete with China.
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.
The FIA’s letter to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright provides an outline of fusion priorities for the Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. In order for the U.S. to win the fusion race, it must adequately resource government programs and partnerships dedicated to commercially-relevant R&D and the deployment of fusion power.
In their recent reorganization on November 20, the U.S. Department of Energy created an Office of Fusion. The FIA has advocated for restoring the Office of Fusion Energy, led by an Assistant Secretary of Energy, to support a wide range of viable fusion commercialization approaches and to address challenges beyond fundamental science. Fusion energy represents one of the most transformative opportunities to secure America’s, and the world’s, energy future; separating fusion from the Office of Science sends an unmistakable signal that the United States is serious about leading the global fusion energy race.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright suggested the new partnerships could supercharge DOE research, including on fusion energy.
U.S. Department of Energy releases roadmap for fusion energy to power the grid by the mid-2030s.
On October 16, the U.S. Department of Energy released the Fusion Science and Technology (FS&T) Roadmap, aiming to accelerate the fusion industry in the U.S. “on the most rapid timeline.” It notes that the “goal of the Roadmap is to deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s.”
On March 26th, the Fusion Industry Association (FIA) sent a letter to Dr. Kung, Acting Director of the Office of Science and Deputy Director for Science Programs at the U.S. Department of Energy, urging the prioritization of commercializing fusion energy in the United States in the FY25 budget.