This company says nuclear fusion could finally power the grid — and soon
https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/30/climate/nuclear-fusion-real-world-electricity-grid
This company says nuclear fusion could finally power the grid — and soon
https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/30/climate/nuclear-fusion-real-world-electricity-grid
13 Comments
From the article
Despite its futuristic power supply, the process of connecting a fusion power plant to the grid isn’t actually much different from connecting other types of power, whether it be conventional nuclear, coal or renewables, said Rob Gramlich, CEO of consulting firm Grid Strategies LLC. A 400-megawatt power plant is “not that big relative to other power plants on the system,” has similar capacity to a gas plant and is smaller than nuclear fission reactors and most coal plants. And the electricity itself is made similarly to existing technologies: Hot water creates steam to turn turbines that create electricity. The difference is just in how to heat the water.
“I don’t think there’ll be anything super tricky,” Gramlich said. “I don’t see any reason why the grid couldn’t handle it.”
In addition, the small amount of fuel needed for small nuclear plants — whether fission or fusion — give them the advantage of being easier to construct in more population-dense areas, closer to existing grid infrastructure, Gramlich said.
It’s fascinating to see Commonwealth Fusion Systems moving so fast, especially with the Fall Line project in Virginia. Moving from experimental physics to actual grid-connection applications with PJM marks a huge shift for the industry. If they can maintain that plasma stability, it really changes the conversation around clean energy timelines.
I would also say this if I was developing nuclear fusion and wanted investors.
“Now please give us money.”
“Soon” is very relative with these sorts of unproven technologies.
Article dated 2026.
And 2018.
And 2011.
And 2004.
And 1996…
Fission power can give us all the power we need. The latest technologies can do so safely with very little waste and only minimal CO2 emissions (from construction, mining, etc but not power production). The biggest drawback is the upfront cost and time it takes to build reactors. These are way worse for fussion. So why not use the abundant energy fission offers us now?
Should never have abandoned nuclear power in the 80s
I promise im really close to the dickobliviator900partnerpleaser1500-900000ASecond_C_Um(S) i just rly just need a bit to get the computer part of the thing right. I swear
So the biggest delay here is the application process? SMH.
Flying spaghetti monster says it will arrive soon and everyone gets a pony and 1 gazillion dollars.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
CNN asked the probing questions nobody who knows anything about fusion is asking, like “is it gonna be hard to jack this into the grid?” instead of the real questions, like “where are you gonna get all the tritium you need?”
Nuclear fusion is 20 years away and always be.
Also, nuclear fusion is 8 light minutes away and always will be.
“Could” and “Soon”
We’ve had plenty of those in the past few decades. Still nothing.