US Gives Fusion Company $85M to Build Chips for Reactors

Commonwealth Fusion Systems received an $85 million federal award on Thursday to build specialized chips for fusion power plants. The Department of Commerce issued the grant under the CHIPS Act. The deal also grants the US government a stake in the company.

The funds will expand domestic manufacturing capacity and support research and development. The company says the investment will strengthen the supply chain for power electronics in the United States.

Fusion startups are currently racing to complete their first demonstration machines. CFS plans to activate its Sparc reactor next year. A single reactor serves as a proof of concept, but commercial deployment will require dozens of plants. Those facilities need durable power electronics and a reliable supply chain.

Brandon Sorbom, co-founder and chief science officer at CFS, stated that the goal is a more capable and economical power plant. He also emphasized the need for a stronger US supply chain to build these systems.

The award supports five specific initiatives. The first involves advancing silicon carbide power electronics. These semiconductors manage high voltages and are used in electric vehicles, data centers, and cell phone base stations. In fusion machines, they handle the intense electrical bursts that drive superconducting magnets to confine plasma.

CFS will also develop next-generation radio-frequency power generators used to heat fusion fuel. A third effort focuses on advanced electronics that allow faster reactor control and are hardened against radiation. The company notes that these radiation-resistant components could extend the lifespan of parts inside a power 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 will improve the US chip and power electronics industries while accelerating fusion energy's progress toward the electrical grid.