Commonwealth Fusion Systems has signed a supply agreement with Tokyo-based Fujikura Ltd to buy 10,000km (6,213.7 miles) of high-temperature superconducting tape for use in its planned fusion power plant.
Helical Fusion expects to begin preliminary power-on tests at its demonstration fusion machine in 2027, it said on Tuesday. The company is developing Helix HARUKA, its integrated pilot machine using the helical approach to fusion.
China-based ENN Group, based in Hebei province, announced on Monday that it has achieved high-parameter hydrogen-boron plasma control in its EXL-50U fusion machine.
nT-Tao has deployed a new 50 MW pulsed-power subsystem for its C3 fusion prototype, increasing its previous power capacity fivefold. The upgrade is designed to deliver precisely controlled energy pulses as the company works toward its next plasma temperature milestone.
A series of new UK–US fusion collaborations were announced alongside the Global Fusion Policy Summit in London, strengthening cooperation across areas including AI, advanced computing, materials, supply chains, regulation, and workforce development. The agreements reflect growing transatlantic coordination as both countries work toward commercial deployment.
Professor Dennis Whyte has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), taking up the role this autumn. Whyte, a longtime MIT professor and co-founder of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, will lead UKAEA as the organization advances fusion commercialization and the UK’s growing fusion research and industrial capabilities.
Annual funding for the fusion industry saw a record year of $4.48bn raised in the 12 months leading to July 2026, according to The Global Fusion Industry in 2026 Report by the Fusion Industry Association (FIA). The fusion sector has reported a total of $14.24bn since the annual survey began in 2021 and now employs over 16,000 people.
Supply chain spending by the fusion industry increased by 24% in 2025, according to The Fusion Industry Supply Chain 2026, the annual report from the Fusion Industry Association (FIA), published on June 23.
The UK Government issued its 2026 fusion energy strategy, with the focus squarely on industrial growth.
The Fusion Industry Association (FIA) welcomed the successful conclusion of the European Parliament hearing “Fusion Energy in Europe: Call for Action,” held in Brussels. The high-level event brought together European policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and innovators to examine how Europe can translate growing political momentum behind fusion energy into a concrete industrial opportunity.
Magnetic confinement: Plasma is heated to 100 million °C or more, then squeezed and held in place by strong magnetic fields, allowing many fusion reactions to occur. (Example: tokamaks, stellarators)
Inertial confinement: Tiny fuel pellets are struck by powerful lasers. The outer layer explodes outward, compressing the core to fusion conditions for a few nanoseconds, producing a brief but intense pulse of energy from each pellet. (Example: National Ignition Facility)
Hybrid systems: Combine compression (e.g., from lasers, plasma pistons, or mechanical impact) with moderate magnetic fields to reduce energy losses and improve confinement.
Electrostatic fusion: Uses high electric potentials to accelerate ions toward a central reaction zone, causing them to collide at high energies and fuse. The ions are guided and confined by electric fields rather than magnets, creating a compact environment for fusion reactions.