Fusion power on the grid
Definition of done
Done when a fusion power plant delivers net electricity into a commercial grid on a sustained, metered basis, meaning power sold or dispatched over a period of regular operation rather than a single test pulse. Scientific gain records, plasma temperature milestones, ignition shots, prototype commissioning, power-on tests and demonstration electricity produced only on site do not count. A first grid connection counts only if the plant exports more electricity than it draws and keeps doing so in routine operation.
Where it stands
No fusion plant is delivering electricity to any grid, and the nearest dated commercial target is Type One Energy's 400-MW Infinity Two plant at TVA's Bull Run site, which its CEO says could come online by 2034. Tennessee issued the first fusion-specific state license to Type One Energy on Aug 31, 2026, and the company raised a $200M Series B on Oct 6 while an Infinity One prototype is scheduled to start up in 2029. Elsewhere, ENN broke ground on its Helong-2 device on Sep 16 with a goal of first hydrogen-boron electricity by 2030, Helical Fusion plans power-on tests at a pilot reactor in 2027, and General Fusion reported a 1.1 keV electron temperature on its LM26 machine in early October. Policy is moving alongside: a bipartisan $10B House fusion bill was introduced on Sep 30 and California signed SB 925 the same day, setting up a state fusion regulatory framework.
Milestones
2026-10-08: General Fusion measured a 1.1 keV electron temperature on its LM26 machine, a first for magnetized target fusion, in work co-authored with UKAEA. — newgen — Fusion race: $10B bill, ENN's H-B groundbreak, UK sprint
2026-10-05: Europe delivered its final vacuum vessel sector for ITER at Cadarache, completing that part of the project's hardware. — newgen — Fusion race: $10B bill, ENN's H-B groundbreak, UK sprint
2026-09-16: ENN broke ground on Helong-2, a hydrogen-boron spherical device in Langfang, China, aimed at first electricity by 2030. — newgen — Fusion race: $10B bill, ENN's H-B groundbreak, UK sprint
2026-08-31: Tennessee's environment department issued the nation's first fusion-specific byproduct-material license to Type One Energy for its commercial fusion project at Bull Run. — newgen — Project Infinity: fusion at Bull Run (Type One Energy + TVA + UK)
Related claims
- Type One Energy — Infinity Two, a 400-MW commercial fusion plant, online by 2034 (said 2026-10-06; review by 2035-06-30): pending.
- Type One Energy / TVA — Bull Run groundbreaking in 2026, Infinity Two construction as early as 2028, Infinity One startup in 2029, commercial operation by 2034 (said 2026-01-29; due 2026-12-31 for groundbreaking): pending.
- ENN — first hydrogen-boron electricity from Helong-2 by 2030 (said 2026-09-16; review by 2028-06-30): pending.
- Helical Fusion — preliminary power-on tests at its pilot reactor in 2027 (said 2026-09-29; review by 2027-07-01): pending.
- China (CAEA) — commercial use of fusion energy by 2050 (said 2026-09-18; review by 2031-06-30): pending.
- US Congress (Lofgren/Obernolte) — a $10B bill for fusion commercialization and research (said 2026-09-30; review by 2027-01-31): pending.
- California — a fusion strategic plan and regulatory framework under SB 925, due Dec 31, 2029 (said 2026-09-30; review by 2030-01-31): pending.