General Fusion’s reactor prototype creates plasma for the first time – This proves General Fusion’s Lawson Machine 26 (LM26) prototype reactor, built over the course of 16 months, is working correctly, while employing a rather old-school design to demonstrate its approach.
https://newatlas.com/energy/general-fusion-nuclear-reactor-lm26-plasma/
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From the article
“We’ve built 24 plasma injectors, created over 200,000 plasmas, and generated fusion neutrons from plasma compressions – de-risking LM26 and preparing us for this new chapter at General Fusion,” noted Laberge, when speaking about the company’s breakthrough. “We’re ready to make some fusion happen in LM26!”
The prototype is now said to be forming plasmas daily. The next step is to compress plasmas with a lithium liner to create fusion and heating from compression. As [TechCrunch noted](https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/11/general-fusion-fires-up-its-newest-steampunk-fusion-reactor/), LM26 doesn’t yet have a liquid lithium wall, and currently relies on solid lithium compressed by electromagnets. General Fusion has been experimenting with a liquid wall prototype, but there’s work to be done yet to integrate it.
The company hopes it will achieve scientific breakeven equivalent – where the fusion reaction produces at least as much power as was delivered directly to the plasma – by 2026. Far beyond that is what’s known as commercial breakeven, where the reaction produces more power than the entire fusion facility consumes, and can feasibly deliver electricity for practical usage.
So I’m gonna guess it uses plasma to boil water to make steam?
Interesting they went with the old-school approach. Fusion’s been ’20 years away’ for the last 60 years, but these smaller, practical designs might actually get us there. Still cautiously optimistic but not holding my breath
In the 16 months they spend building just the prototype, the world has build and installed 800GW of Solar power.
Exciting milestone! This could be a significant step towards practical fusion energy.
Can someone help me understand why this is significant? Creating plasma seems very underwhelming… seems like they are still a ways from ignition, which in itself it’s still lightyears away from a actual reactor.