FPN20-40

U.S. Fusion Pilot Plant Study Launched

June 17, 2020

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has asked the National Academies (NAS) to conduct a "fast track" study on the development of a fusion pilot plant. A previous NAS report on U.S. fusion strategy, completed in late 2018, recommended "the United States should start a national program of accompanying research and technology leading to the construction of a compact pilot plant that produces electricity from fusion at the lowest possible capital cost". DOE has not yet adopted that recommendation.

The DOE issued the following announcement:

FES funds the National Academies to conduct a fast-track study on the development of a pilot plant

June 15, 2020: The Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program of the Office of Science is supporting the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to conduct a fast-track study focused on the construction of a pilot plant in the United States that produces electricity from fusion at the lowest possible capital cost (“Pilot Plant”).

In the study, to be completed within eight months of project initiation, the committee of experts assembled by NASEM shall provide a concise report that addresses the following points:

The NASEM study is complementary to the FESAC-led long-range strategic planning for FES that is under way.

See https://science.osti.gov/-/media/fes/pdf/2020/NASEM_Award_Announcement_June_2020.pdf?la=en&hash=0B202ADC24CA0D6AD4CADE091BEFBAF8335B416C