Mechanical design engineer Jasmine Mund gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. EAST breaks fusion density limit  https://www.neimagazine.com/news/east-breaks-fusion-density-limit/

1. US energy company installs first fusion magnet, nears clean power breakthrough https://interestingengineering.com/ces-2026/us-firm-first-nuclear-fusion-magnet 

1. AI speeds UK fusion tokamak design by 100,000 times https://channellife.co.uk/story/ai-speeds-uk-fusion-tokamak-design-by-100-000-times 

1. Thea Energy’s fusion pilot plant preconceptual design certified by U.S. Dept. of Energy https://www.roi-nj.com/2026/01/13/industry/energy-utilities/thea-energys-fusion-pilot-plant-preconceptual-design-certified-by-u-s-dept-of-energy/ 

1. Why is Truth Social owner Trump Media merging with a fusion energy firm? https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/dec/19/trump-media-tae-technologies-energy-merger 

Bonus:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly3x7pz28mo 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inDGDyz3MNE

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-annual-conference-2026/

A compilation of the top Fusion News stories from 2025, plus an overview of the year's major industry and policy advances by FIA CEO Andrew Holland. Thanks for tuning in with us all year! We look forward to covering more milestones in 2026.As always, links to the stories covered are included below.Late-breaking news: TAE Technologies merges with TMTGhttps://tae.com/trump-media-and-technology-group-to-merge-with-tae-technologies/Top stories of 2025:Laser-powered fusion experiment more than doubles its power outputhttps://techcrunch.com/2025/05/17/laser-powered-fusion-experiment-more-than-doubles-its-power-output/(Covered by Jeff on May 28)Google buys fusion powerhttps://www.thechemicalengineer.com/news/google-buys-fusion-power/(Jasmine, July 23)Helion Energy starts construction on nuclear fusion plant to power Microsoft data centershttps://www.reuters.com/business/energy/helion-energy-starts-construction-nuclear-fusion-plant-power-microsoft-data-2025-07-30/(Cyd, August 6)Commonwealth Fusion Systems Raises $863 Million Series B2 Round to Accelerate the Commercialization of Fusion Energyhttps://cfs.energy/news-and-media/commonwealth-fusion-systems-raises-863-million-series-b2-round-to-accelerate-the-commercialization-of-fusion-energy(Abdus, September 3)Germany bets billions on nuclear fusion for energy futurehttps://www.dw.com/en/nuclear-fusion-germany-bets-billions-on-technology-for-energy-future/a-74522109(Abdus, November 12)

December 10, 2025

Adrian Carrillo, master’s student at the University of Washington, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below:

1. TAE Technologies and UKAEA partner to commercialise fusion tech

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tae-technologies-and-ukaea-partner-to-commercialise-fusion-tech

2. Completion of Conceptual Design for the Fusion Energy Demonstration Project "FAST"

https://kyotofusioneering.com/en/news/2025/11/27/3586

3. World's biggest fusion device adds over 1,200-ton module in major progress

https://interestingengineering.com/photo-story/worlds-biggest-fusion-reactor-new-module

4. US lab reveals how fusion fuel capsules perform under sun-like heat

https://www6.slac.stanford.edu/news/2025-11-26-ideal-fusion-fuel-target-doesnt-exist-yet-researchers-slac-are-trying-change

Bonus:

Kyoto Fusioneering and Shimadzu Corporation Jointly Develop a Prototype of a Turbomolecular Pump Designed for Operation in Tritium Environments

https://kyotofusioneering.com/en/news/2025/12/03/3598

Ten years of Wendelstein 7-X - ten years of world-leading fusion research

https://nachrichten.idw-online.de/2025/12/01/ten-years-of-wendelstein-7-x-ten-years-of-world-leading-fusion-research

FIA Launches Education and Research Partnership program

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-launches-education-and-research-partnership-program/

STEP Fusion celebrates community engagement and announces the timeline for development consent at the West Burton site

https://www.worksopguardian.co.uk/community/step-fusion-celebrates-community-engagement-and-announces-the-timeline-for-development-consent-at-the-west-burton-site-5422025

Watch the episode on the FIA's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/ycIEr8KX-cc

November 26, 2025

Dr. Cyd Cowley, working at the intersection of fusion and AI at FIA affiliate member digiLab, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. Zap Energy ramps up the pressure in its latest fusion device

https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/18/zap-energy-ramps-up-the-pressure-in-its-latest-fusion-device/2. Tokamak Energy announces magnet breakthrough

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/tokamak-energy-announces-magnet-breakthrough/3. Are we finally about to crack fusion energy?

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/are-we-finally-about-to-crack-fusion-energy/Bonus:

Fusion at United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP30

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fusion-at-united-nations-climate-change-conference-cop30/New contract model launched for nuclear fusion schemes

https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/legal/new-contract-model-launched-for-nuclear-fusion-schemes-21-11-2025/

Watch the episode on the FIA's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/jCP0VNrKeJs

November 12, 2025

Abdus Shaik, PhD student at Imperial College, London, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. Germany announces major national investment plan for fusion energy

https://www.dw.com/en/nuclear-fusion-germany-bets-billions-on-technology-for-energy-future/a-74522109

2. A U.S. think tank calls for a ten billion dollar government push to maintain American leadership in fusion

https://www.nucnet.org/news/stakes-have-increased-as-us-risks-falling-behind-china-in-race-for-nuclear-fusion-11-3-2025

3. Japan moves closer to commercial fusion with a successful new test

https://inspenet.com/en/noticias/japan-moves-toward-commercial-fusion-power-with-successful-test/

4. Why the Al Industry Is Betting on a Fusion Energy Breakthrough

https://time.com/7328213/nuclear-fusion-energy-ai/

Bonus:

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/16137063

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxs0Z8hmMZU

Watch the episode on the FIA's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/tTVfBhsUn-Q

October 29, 2025

Mechanical design engineer Jasmine Mund gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.1. Energy Department Announces Fusion Science & Technology Roadmap to Accelerate Commercial Fusion Powerhttps://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-fusion-science-and-technology-roadmap-accelerate-commercial2. CFS leverages DeepMind Al for SPARChttps://www.neimagazine.com/news/cfs-leverages-deepmind-ai-for-sparc/3. Nordic study on siting of fusion pilot planthttps://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/nordic-study-on-siting-of-fusion-pilot-plant4. World-first use of 3D magnetic coils to stabilise fusion plasmahttps://www.gov.uk/government/news/world-first-use-of-3d-magnetic-coils-to-stabilise-fusion-plasmaBonus:https://www.iter.org/node/20687/iters-stefan-jachmich-wins-nuclear-fusion-journal-prizehttps://tokamakenergy.com/2025/10/15/seeing-plasma-in-colour-new-imaging-from-st40/https://www.neimagazine.com/news/german-start-up-unveils-fusion-blueprint/

Watch our podcast on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/WUUajZ5Cu4E

October 15, 2025

Jeff Peachman, PhD student at the University of Washington, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.
1. Nuclear fusion, the 'holy grail' of power, was always 30 years away
-now it's a matter of when, not if, fusion comes online to power Al
https://fortune.com/2025/10/02/nuclear-fusion-online-commercial-ai-power/
2. Eni strikes more than $1 billion power deal with US fusion firm Commonwealth
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/eni-strikes-more-than-1-billion-power-deal-with-us-fusion-firm-commonwealth-2025-09-22/
3. New prediction model could improve the reliability of fusion power plants
https://news.mit.edu/2025/new-prediction-model-could-improve-reliability-fusion-power-plants-1007
Bonus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG3TxB-plT8
https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/cern-and-f4e-join-forces-to-advance-fusion-energy-development/61794/
Watch the episode on the FIA's YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/iNOg0Fv8bRI

Watch our podcast on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/iNOg0Fv8bRI

September 17, 2025

Mechanical design engineer Jasmine Mund gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. General Atomics marks completion of ITER’s superconducting fusion magnet

https://www.ans.org/news/2025-09-04/article-7345/general-atomics-marks-completion-of-iters-superconducting-fusion-magnet/

2. Energy Department Announces $134 Million to Advance U.S. Fusion Leadership

https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/doe-invests-134-million-to-advance-u-s-leadership-in-fusion-energy-innovation/198167/ 

3. Durham scientists advance ITER reactor with landmark superconductor study

https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/durham-scientists-advance-iter-reactor-with-superconductor-study/61668/

4. Super-X' design shows major advantages in handling hot exhaust of fusion energy

https://phys.org/news/2025-09-super-major-advantages-hot-exhaust.html

5. Livermore Approves Billion-Dollar Nuclear Fusion Research Facility Proposal

https://patch.com/california/livermore/livermore-approves-billion-dollar-nuclear-fusion-research-facility-proposal#

Bonus:

https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/09/10/how-to-build-table-top-fusion-reactors

https://global.kyocera.com/newsroom/news/2025/001124.html

Watch the episode on the FIA's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/rzc9hed_C2c

September 3rd, 2025

Abdus Shaik, PhD student at Imperial College in London, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. Commonwealth Fusion Systems raises $863 Million

https://cfs.energy/news-and-media/commonwealth-fusion-systems-raises-863-million-series-b2-round-to-accelerate-the-commercialization-of-fusion-energy

2. Inertia Enterprises Launches with DOE and LLNL support

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250826432256/en/Inertia-Enterprises-Launches-to-Commercialize-Fusion-Energy-Founded-by-Proven-Leaders-in-Business-and-Science

3. Fusion funding and power purchase agreements ramp up

https://www.theverge.com/news/766269/nuclear-fusion-project-map

4. General Fusion raises $22 million

https://generalfusion.com/post/a-new-day-general-fusion-closes-oversubscribed-us22-million-financing-welcomes-new-board-members

Bonus:

https://www.fusionindustryassociation.org/over-2-5-billion-invested-in-fusion-industry-in-past-year/

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a65595434/china-super-steel/#

Watch the episode on FIA's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/GdPNiZ6NBHk

August 20, 2025

Jeff Peachman, PhD student at the University of Washington, gives this week's Fusion News update - summarizing behind the headlines of recent fusion energy news articles. Links to the stories discussed are included below.

1. Marathon Fusion claims it can turn mercury into gold while creating clean energy

https://phys.org/news/2025-07-marathon-fusion-mercury-gold-energy.html 

2. Finding the shadows in a fusion system faster with AI

https://phys.org/news/2025-08-shadows-fusion-faster-ai.html 

Bonus:

https://news.arizona.edu/news/u-industry-partners-poised-advance-fusion-innovation 

https://www.neimagazine.com/news/boron-powder-boosts-fusion-plasma-control/?cf-view

Watch the episode on the FIA's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/ET5jhBMxnBE