Commerce Department Grants Commonwealth Fusion Systems $85 Million for Chip Production
The federal award funds five specific semiconductor projects intended to support the next generation of fusion reactors.
By Andrew Kovalenko ·
Commonwealth Fusion Systems received an $85 million federal award on Thursday.
The Department of Commerce issued the grant under the CHIPS Act to support the development of advanced semiconductors for the fusion power industry.
The agreement also grants the U.S. government an equity stake in the company. CFS stated that the capital will strengthen research and development efforts while expanding domestic manufacturing capacity for these specialized chips.
The funding arrives as fusion startups work to complete their first demonstration machines. CFS aims to activate its Sparc reactor sometime next year. While a single reactor serves as a proof of concept, building dozens of commercial plants requires more durable power electronics and a reliable supply chain.
Brandon Sorbom, co-founder and chief science officer at CFS, wrote in a blog post that the investment means a more capable and economical power plant. He also noted that it will strengthen the U.S. supply chain used to build such facilities.
The award targets five distinct initiatives. The first involves the advancement of silicon carbide power electronics. These semiconductors manage high voltages and appear in products ranging from LEDs and electric vehicles to cell phone base stations and data centers. In fusion machines, they handle intense electricity bursts that drive the superconducting magnets used to confine plasma.
CFS will also develop next-generation radio-frequency power generators for heating fusion fuel. A third effort focuses on advanced electronics that allow for faster reactor control and are hardened against radiation. The company said these radiation-hardened components could extend the lifespan of parts inside a fusion plant, thereby reducing operating costs. The final initiative involves adapting AI hardware, such as GPUs and TPUs, for use in power plants. Sorbom said the funding would improve the U.S. chip and power electronics industries while accelerating fusion energy's progress toward the electrical grid.
