The National Ignition Facility, part of the Department of Energy, has achieved scientific break even in a series of successful experiments, marking significant progress in fusion power technology. Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) recently announced impressive advancements with its compact fusion reactor in development. This new entrant backed by large name brand investors has just scored their big breakthrough. A 24-foot wide, 75-ton stainless steel big circle has been set. This igloo-like structure supports the tokamak itself, which is the doughnut-shaped heart of any fusion reactor. This new development brings CFS even closer to its goal. They’re focusing on a relatively small reactor that would produce far more power than it uses, essentially crossing the goal line for fusion technology.
CFS is one of several startups that have emerged in the recent years with the aim to harness fusion power, which promises to produce gigawatts of pollution-free electricity using hydrogen fuel derived from seawater. On December 11th, CFS proclaimed that its first commercial-scale reactor would be sited outside Richmond, Virginia. The company’s SPARC tokamak takes advantage of superconducting magnets to enable much stronger magnetic fields. These fields are critical to trapping plasma at 100 million degrees Celsius into a narrow doughnut shape. That plasma is then confined and compressed until fusion takes place.
The base of the cryostat, which is one of the tokamak’s most important components, was manufactured and assembled in Italy. It was then transported to CFS’s premises in Devens, Massachusetts. This impressive 50-foot-diameter stainless steel ring serves as the base of the tokamak. Alex Creely, a key figure at CFS, described it as "the first piece of the actual fusion machine," and likened it to "the bottom of the thermos."
On a technical level, the tokamak device itself uses superconducting magnets that need to be cooled to –253 degrees Celsius with liquid helium. This cooling — provided by a layer of liquid lithium — is crucial for sustaining the strong, stable magnetic fields that keep fusion going. CFS has even more ambitious plans with its Sparc demonstration reactor, which is expected to achieve first plasma in 2027. If successful, Sparc will be the first tokamak to achieve net positive energy gain. It seeks to generate more energy than it uses while in operation.
Fusion power, in many ways, is considered the holy grail of energy sources. Its ability to provide a practically unbounded source of clean, green energy has scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs buzzing with excitement. Unlike traditional nuclear reactors that rely on fission, fusion reactors combine atomic nuclei to release energy without long-lived radioactive waste. This makes fusion an attractive option for sustainable energy production.
