Reactor known as Arc expected to deliver power to grid in the early 2030s
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has announced that it will build the world’s first grid-scale commercial fusion power plant in the US state of Virginia.
As part of the plans, the US-based privately owned developer of fusion energy systems has reached an agreement with power utility Dominion Energy Virginia to provide non-financial collaboration, including development and technical expertise as well as leasing rights for the proposed site at the James River Industrial Park in Chesterfield County. Dominion Energy Virginia currently owns the site.
CFS said it has conducted a global search for the site of its first commercial fusion power plant, known as Arc, which the company will independently finance, build, own, and operate.
CFS is working to build the Sparc prototype fusion machine at its headquarters in Devens, Massachusetts. Sparc is a compact, high-field, net fusion energy device that would be the size of existing mid-sized fusion devices, but with a much stronger magnetic field. It is predicted to produce 50-100 MW of fusion power.
CFS said Sparc is expected to produce its first plasma in 2026 and net fusion energy shortly after, demonstrating for the first time a commercially relevant design that will produce more power than consumed.
Sparc will pave the way for a first commercially viable Arc fusion power plant, which will generate about 400 MW – enough to power large industrial sites or about 150,000 homes. Arc is expected to deliver power to the grid in the early 2030s.
CFS was spun out of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center as a private company in 2018 and has raised more than $2bn (€1.9bn) in funding since it was founded.
CFS said the new Arc fusion power plant will support economic development and the clean energy goals of Virginia. The project is expected to generate billions of dollars in economic development in the region and create hundreds of jobs during the construction and long-term operation of the power plant.
