FPN22-23

DOE to Hold Private Workshop on Fusion Public-Private Partnerships June 1-3

May 27, 2022

At the recent White House Fusion Summit (see FPN22-06) Department of Energy Under Secretary for Science and Innovation Geraldine Richmond announced that Dr. Scott Hsu had been given an appointment as Senior Advisor and Lead Fusion Coordinator, reporting directly to her, to coordinate the Department's fusion energy efforts across various parts of the Department of Energy. Dr. Hsu had been an ARPA-E Program Manager, where he funded a number of small private sector fusion efforts. He was previously a fusion scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

In what appears to be his first official action since taking this new post, Dr. Hsu is holding a "DOE Workshop on Fusion Energy Development via Public-Private Partnerships" on June 1-3. Approximately 100 persons, selected by Dr. Hsu from nominations received from various sources, will meet in closed session to assist him to formulate a new fusion program element aimed at achieving, via Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), operation of one or more Fusion Pilot Plants (FPPs) in the 2030s. The workshop will be held at the Capitol Hilton hotel in Washington, DC, but is by invitation only.

In his presentation to the DOE's Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee May 25 meeting, Hsu stated, in answer to a question, that the meeting would not be live-streamed or available to public observation in webinar format in order to encourage the free flow of discussion. He also stated, in answer to another question, "The other important point that I want to make is we are not thinking of this as private sector FPPs complimenting a DOE path to FPP. All the paths to FPP will be driven by the private sector in partnership and support from the public sector."

The approximately 100 invited participants to the closed workshop have been chosen by Hsu, roughly 25% in each of four categories: federal employees, universities, laboratories and private industry.

The FESAC meeting presentations and discussions are recorded and will be made available to the public. For information on when and how to access those, contact Sam Barish at sam.barish@science.doe.gov

Fusion Power Associates has a copy of Dr. Hsu's FESAC presentation slides and an audio recording of his remarks and will make then available to anyone interested upon request to fusionpwrassoc@aol.com