South Korea Plans to Increase R&D Investment in Nuclear Fusion and Small Modular Reactors

South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) stated on September 1 that in the 2027 government budget proposal approved at a Cabinet meeting, the ministry's budget amounts to 29.6476 trillion Korean won, an increase of 24.5% compared to this year's supplementary budget. Of this, the R&D budget is planned to increase from 11.9 trillion won this year to 14.1 trillion won, accounting for 36% of the South Korean government's total R&D budget. In the science and technology sector, MSIT plans to invest 12.377 trillion won in R&D related to next-generation artificial intelligence and advanced technologies. In explaining the budget proposal, the ministry's First Vice Minister stated that in response to the growing electricity demand driven by AI development, South Korea will accelerate the development of future clean energy sources such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and nuclear fusion...

2026-09-02

Japan's Helical Fusion Technology Selected as Candidate for METI's Fusion Demonstration Program

Helical Fusion Co., Ltd. has recently been selected as a final candidate for the fusion power demonstration project support program by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The program aims to align with Japan's national fusion strategy, advancing fusion energy into the demonstration phase by the 2030s and building the technical foundation for subsequent commercialization. The left image shows Helix HARUKA, Helical Fusion's integrated demonstration device; the right image shows Helix KANATA, Helical Fusion's fusion test plant. Under the current arrangement, the program will provide approximately 60 billion yen in government funding over three years through 2028, supporting private-sector R&D across multiple fusion technology...

2026-09-01

U.S. University Establishes Fusion Energy Seed Fund to Support Four Interdisciplinary Research Projects

The Institute for Fusion Studies at The University of Texas at Austin recently launched a fusion energy seed fund to support four interdisciplinary research projects. These projects will bring together teams from plasma physics, engineering, and computational science to address challenges in control, materials, particle confinement, and edge plasma simulation faced by fusion devices such as tokamaks. The fund is supported by the Institute for Fusion Studies (IFS), the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering ...

2026-09-01

Tennessee Issues First-Ever Commercial Fusion-Specific Permit in the U.S. to Type One Energy

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has issued Type One Energy the state's first permit specifically for a fusion energy facility, allowing the company to advance fusion-related projects at the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Bull Run Energy Complex in Clinton. Tennessee officials stated this is the first permit of its kind in the United States issued under a new state-level fusion regulatory framework. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, alongside fusion energy partners, presented the first U.S. permit specifically for a commercial fusion facility on Monday at the Organization of American States (OAS) annual meeting in Nashville. (LR) TVA Interim...

2026-09-01

Korea's Eugene MS Wins KRW 11.4 Billion Order for ITER Core Components

Korea's Eugene MS announced on August 31 that it has signed a contract with the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) to produce and supply the second batch of vacuum vessel port sealing flanges for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The contract is valued at approximately KRW 11.4 billion, equivalent to about 44% of Eugene MS's 2025 revenue of KRW 25.9 billion. The contract period runs through December 2030. Under the arrangement, the sealing flanges will be delivered to the ITER Organization in three batches, with final inspection and related procedures scheduled for completion by June 30, 2031. The ITER vacuum vessel port sealing flanges consist of large fasteners and other components...

2026-08-31

UK JET Decommissioning Project to Trial Asset-Based Decommissioning Approach

The JET Decommissioning and Repurposing (JDR) project recently announced that it will trial an asset-based decommissioning approach in three areas of the JET facility during the next phase of work. These areas were once part of the power supply infrastructure during JET plasma operations. This trial work will support the overall development of the Culham Campus and, in conjunction with the Strategic Investment and Development for Energy and AI (STRIDE) programme, facilitate land remediation to create conditions for the installation of a fourth supergrid transformer. JDR has signed a contract with Ramco UK to undertake the relevant trial work. JDR Engineering Integration Manager Steve...

2026-08-28

U.S. Fusion Company Advances Deuterium-Helium-3 Fusion Testing

American Fusion Inc. on August 27 announced progress in ongoing testing of the Texatron Fusion Engine and released computational and experimental observations regarding the device's ability to achieve deuterium-helium-3 (D-³He) fusion conditions. The company stated that the test program is evaluating two Texatron configurations at approximately 500 kilowatts and 5 megawatts, with the core technical approach being proprietary pulsed magnetic compression. Texatron's R&D focus is on utilizing short-duration, high-intensity electromagnetic pulses to compress and heat plasma in extremely short timeframes, simultaneously creating the conditions required for fusion, including high temperature, high pressure, high density, and a certain confinement time. American Fusion Inc...

2026-08-28

France's ITER research program may start before 2034

Scientific preparation work for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is currently about 7 months ahead of the original schedule, and the research program may start earlier than the previously set target of 2034. Anatoly Krasilnikov, Director of the ITER Project Center at Rosatom, revealed this progress during the Technoprom-2026 forum. Krasilnikov stated that the project team no longer uses the milestone term "first plasma," but has instead adjusted the objective to "start of the research program," with a target date of 2034. Based on the current progress, the work is 7 months ahead of schedule, and there is a possibility of achieving the goal ahead of time...

2026-08-28

Japan to Build Fusion Tritium Fuel Research Base in Aomori Prefecture

Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has decided to establish a new fusion power generation research base in Aomori Prefecture, focusing on tritium fuel handling technology. The base will target the development needs of fusion demonstration projects in the 2030s, promoting joint research and development among industry, government, and academia. MEXT plans to include approximately 100 billion yen in fusion development-related funding in its budget request for the next fiscal year. Fusion power generation releases energy through the fusion reaction of deuterium and tritium nuclei, a principle similar to the energy generation process inside the sun. Unlike traditional nuclear power that relies on nuclear fission chain reactions, fusion reactions carry a lower risk of runaway, leading many countries to view it as an important direction for future energy technology...

2026-08-28

U.S. Marathon Fusion Demonstrates Hydrogen and Lithium Isotope Enrichment Technology

U.S.-based Marathon Fusion announced on August 27 that it has successfully demonstrated hydrogen and lithium isotope enrichment technology using its proprietary plasma centrifuge. The company stated that this advancement addresses the fuel cycle needs of fusion energy and related isotope supply requirements. In the deuterium-tritium fusion pathway, hydrogen isotope processing is critical to the continuous operation of fusion devices, while lithium isotope enrichment is closely tied to tritium production. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released its "Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap" in June of this year, which identifies tritium processing as one of the core challenges, noting that related progress is essential for achieving sustained deuterium-tritium fusion operation and validating fusion as a large-scale energy form...

2026-08-28

Japan's Helical Fusion and Tohoku University Launch Social Communication Research on Fusion Energy

Helical Fusion recently announced that it has launched a joint research project with the Takahashi-Kariwara Laboratory of the Graduate School of Engineering at Tohoku University in August 2026, focusing on ideal communication methods for the social implementation of fusion energy. The project is planned to last approximately one year, with a focus on exploring the communication methods, dialogue mechanisms, and decision-making pathways required for fusion energy to move toward social application. According to the project plan, both parties will examine cases of existing advanced technologies in areas such as social acceptance and risk perception to study communication strategies needed for the stable application of fusion energy in future society. The research also plans to introduce...

2026-08-27

South Korea's POSCO Group Invests in Japanese Fusion Company Kyoto Fusion Engineering

South Korea's POSCO Group has invested in Japanese fusion energy company Kyoto Fusion Engineering (KF) to establish an early presence in the global fusion energy market and explore new business opportunities in future steel, specialty materials, and energy infrastructure. According to industry sources on the 27th, POSCO Group participated in Kyoto Fusion Engineering's Series D funding round. The investment was made through the Korea-Japan Fusion Fund, established by IMM Investment Japan (IMMJ) together with Korean and Japanese investors. POSCO Holdings and POSCO International also contributed to the fund...

2026-08-27

Iran Says Nuclear Fusion to Become Priority in Nuclear Industry Development

At a national Government Week celebration ceremony held in Tehran, Mohammad Eslami stated that developing nuclear fusion is a priority direction for the future of Iran's nuclear industry. Iran needs to rely on its domestic capabilities, knowledge-based enterprises, and universities to drive progress in related fields. Eslami said that the innovation network of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) is providing support for nuclear fusion activities, shifting related work from the technology demonstration stage further toward system development and capacity building. He also stated that the establishment of the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) training center is an initiative to enhance industrial quality, promote technological advancement, and cultivate domestic professional expertise...

2026-08-27

South Korea's KSTAR to Conduct Long-Pulse Fusion Research in Tungsten Environment with European Institutions

The Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) announced on August 27 that it has signed implementation agreements with multiple fusion research institutions in France, Italy, Germany, and Finland to conduct joint research on long-duration plasma operation in a tungsten environment using the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) device. Partner institutions include the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Germany, and the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT). The institutions will focus on key technologies required for long-pulse operation of future fusion reactors...

2026-08-27

AMPERA and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Collaborate to Develop Advanced Nuclear Fuel

AMPERA announced on August 26 that it has established a strategic partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), which operates under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) system. The two parties will collaborate on next-generation advanced nuclear fuels, with a focus on applications such as compact nuclear energy systems and subcritical reactor platforms. Under the collaboration arrangement, the two parties will jointly advance the development of manufacturing processes related to tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel. Project objectives include improving the reliability, licensability, and scalability of fuel manufacturing,...

2026-08-27

Japan's JT-60SA Experimental Team Advances Preparations for Next Operation Phase

Preparations for the next phase of JT-60SA experimental activities are underway. The technical team is carrying out integrated commissioning as planned, while the experimental team is simultaneously refining related tools and software to enhance scientific output capabilities for the next operation phase. During a training course organized by QST, EUROfusion participants are learning how to configure discharge settings using the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) in preparation for the next JT-60SA campaign. Image credit: QST. The Third JT-60SA Experimental Team Workshop was held from July 27 to 31, 2026, at the Naka Institute of the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) in Japan. Approximately 50 experts attended, including 20 representatives from Europe...

2026-08-26

U.S. Fusion Roadmap Targets Early Power Plant Deployment by Mid-2030s

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently released the "Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap," proposing to accelerate the deployment of early fusion power plants by the mid-2030s. The roadmap represents a key federal-level arrangement to advance fusion technology from experimental research toward engineering and commercialization, coordinated by the Office of Fusion established in November 2025. Unlike existing nuclear power plants that release energy through fission reactions, fusion devices attempt to fuse light atomic nuclei together, with an energy source principle identical to that of the Sun. Fusion power is regarded as a potential low-carbon energy direction, but the industry remains in the experimental and demonstration stage, with private developers yet to achieve commercial-scale net energy gain, i.e...

2026-08-26

US Pacific Fusion Breaks Ground on $1 Billion Fusion Facility in New Mexico

On August 25, local time, Pacific Fusion launched construction of a research and manufacturing campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. The project involves an investment of approximately $1 billion and will be used to build the company's fusion demonstration system, with goals including achieving net facility gain and producing high-yield fusion energy pulses. The campus is located in the Mesa del Sol area of Albuquerque. According to Pacific Fusion's plan, the demonstration system aims to achieve net energy gain at the facility level by 2030, meaning the fusion device outputs more energy than the total energy initially stored in the equipment. The company stated that if this goal is achieved, it will mark a significant technological milestone in the commercialization of fusion energy...

2026-08-26

Japan Completes Cryogenic Test of World's Largest Superconducting Toroidal Field Coil for ITER

Japan's National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) and Toshiba Corporation announced on August 25 that they had successfully completed the first cryogenic current test of the world's largest superconducting toroidal field coil at the construction site of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The test was conducted at an operating temperature of approximately minus 269 degrees Celsius, marking a critical technical milestone before ITER's commissioning. The superconducting toroidal field coil, also known as the TF coil, installed in the test facility is a key component of ITER's superconducting magnet system, used to generate the strong magnetic field required to confine plasma. During the test, the team cooled the coil from room temperature to cryogenic conditions, confirmed its transition to the superconducting state, and for the first time achieved stable conduction of 10,000 amperes of current while the coil was in the superconducting state.

2026-08-25

U.S. Department of Energy Extends Princeton University Contract to Operate PPPL

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Princeton University have extended the contract under which Princeton University manages and operates the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). The laboratory is located on Princeton University's Forrestal Campus in Plainsboro, New Jersey. Under the new extension, the contract will be renewed for five years starting April 1, 2027. Princeton University expects to strengthen collaboration with faculty and research teams on campus during the contract period, explore next-generation fusion energy research facilities, and enhance laboratory infrastructure and safety to support ongoing operational needs. Princeton University's office for research affairs...

2026-08-25

Expansion Project Advances at Centrus Energy's Uranium Enrichment Facility in Piketon, Ohio

Centrus Energy said on August 24 that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel, JobsOhio CEO J.P. Nauseef, along with state, federal, and local stakeholders, visited the company's uranium enrichment facility in Piketon, Ohio, to discuss the development of the U.S. domestic nuclear fuel supply chain and Ohio's role in it. In September 2025, Centrus Energy announced a multi-billion-dollar expansion of the Piketon uranium enrichment plant. Currently, the expansion...

2026-08-25