In a milestone toward commercializing the nuclear fusion industry, Type One Energy and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) have signed a partnership agreement to develop plans for future TVA nuclear fusion plant projects in the Tennessee Valley region using Type One Energy’s stellarator fusion power generation technology. The 350 MWe nuclear fusion test plant, called Infinity Two, could provide a supplemental source of baseload power generation to the region as early as the mid-2030s, with the potential to repurpose TVA’s retired fossil fuel power plant infrastructure in addition to being deployed at new construction sites to ensure energy security and reliability.
The collaboration agreement further expands Project Infinity , a program initially launched in early 2024 by Type One Energy, TVA and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), with support from the State of Tennessee. The project initially centered on the deployment of a Type One Energy Infinity One stellarator prototype at TVA’s Bull Run Power Plant, but now includes deeper and broader involvement in the commercialization of nuclear fusion energy. TVA and Type One Energy will collaborate on site selection studies, environmental review and permitting for the Infinity Two nuclear fusion plant, as well as project plan development and multi-party financing. Type One Energy will support TVA in its evaluation and review of the project.
“Unlocking America’s energy potential requires a variety of forms of power generation, including nuclear fusion,” said Joe Hoagland, TVA vice president of innovation and research. “Energy security is national security, and we are focused on developing the technology, supply chain and delivery models to build an industry that can provide energy to America and the world.”
Consistent with TVA’s above objectives, the scope of this cooperative agreement is tied to a separate arrangement between the parties to utilize the capabilities of TVA’s Power Service Station (PSS) in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. PSS enables Type One Energy to continue building its supply chain for stellarator fusion power plants and will support modular manufacturing and assembly of Infinity Two. Importantly, this arrangement will also position TVA to benefit from the subsequent global expansion of nuclear fusion energy following the successful deployment of Infinity Two.
Now, Project Infinity is also working on workforce development, training the skills and knowledge related to assembling, operating and maintaining a fusion stellarator. The Infinity One prototype’s unique 24/7 capability to work with the power plant will enable important skills development and knowledge transfer. With a long history of deploying and operating new energy technologies, Tennessee and Alabama are well positioned to provide the talent and resources needed to successfully and reliably use nuclear fusion to generate energy. This is one example of how TVA and Type One Energy will enable communities across the Tennessee Valley to increasingly participate in Project Infinity and benefit from the investment, jobs and energy security it provides.
“We are fortunate to be working with an energy company like TVA,” said Christofer Mowry, CEO of Type One Energy. “TVA brings us world-class plant operations, maintenance, engineering, permitting, and even project planning and construction capabilities, all of which are critical to success. Now that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel, we can focus on completing the design of Infinity Two and testing the Infinity One prototype at TVA’s Bull Run plant. We can concentrate on developing and delivering the core stellarator technology that will be critical to our commercialization of fusion power plants.”
Project Infinity continues to advance Type One Energy’s strategy of leveraging existing capabilities in the global energy industry, minimizing commercialization risks and avoiding the challenges of vertical integration. This agreement complements Type One Energy’s recently announced technology licensing and manufacturing agreement with Commonwealth Fusion Systems. Additionally, Project Infinity is aligned with TVA’s mission to provide safe, reliable, affordable and resilient electricity through the development and deployment of innovative power technologies.
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