If all goes to plan, the US state of Virginia will host the world’s first grid-scale nuclear fusion power plant by the early 2030s. Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), a startup spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), announced plans to construct the facility near Richmond, making a multibillion-dollar investment in this transformative energy project. The plant is designed to produce 400 megawatts of power, enough to supply energy to approximately 150,000 homes. CEO Bob Mumgaard described the initiative as a historic milestone, marking the first time fusion energy will be made available at grid scale.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin called the announcement a significant moment for both Virginia and the global energy sector. Fusion energy, which mimics the process that powers the sun, offers the potential to deliver clean, abundant power without the carbon emissions or long-term nuclear waste associated with traditional nuclear fission. Fusion uses hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, and produces energy by fusing atoms together at extreme temperatures.
Despite its promise, achieving practical and scalable fusion energy has remained an elusive goal for decades, often described as “just decades away.” CFS acknowledges these challenges but is making rapid progress. Founded in 2018, the company has raised over $2 billion from high-profile investors including Bill Gates, Google, and Eni, the Italian energy company. CFS is currently building a pilot tokamak reactor in Massachusetts to demonstrate net fusion energy—producing more energy than it consumes—by 2027. The Virginia plant represents the company’s next step, moving from demonstration to delivering energy to the grid.
The chosen site in the James River Industrial Centre in Chesterfield County was selected after evaluating over 100 global locations. Virginia’s skilled workforce, clean energy focus, and the grid connectivity offered by the decommissioning of a nearby coal plant were key factors in the decision. Dominion Energy, which owns the site, will lease it to CFS and provide technical assistance. Virginia, already the world’s largest data center market, has a growing need for reliable energy sources as data center electricity consumption in the U.S. is expected to triple by 2030. The fusion plant is positioned to meet some of this rising demand.
CFS’s Virginia facility is just one of many efforts within the competitive race to commercialize fusion energy. Companies like Helion Energy and General Fusion are also aiming for deployment by the 2030s, with Helion planning to supply fusion power to Microsoft as early as 2028. Despite the competition, CFS believes its advancements in tokamak technology and substantial backing give it a strong edge. However, experts like Columbia University’s Jerry Navratil caution that moving from demonstration to a safe, licensed, and operational grid-scale power plant remains a formidable challenge.
The Virginia plant represents a bold vision for the future, with CFS planning to build thousands of fusion power plants globally. The company’s investment in Virginia is a step forward in the long journey to making fusion a practical energy source. Governor Youngkin celebrated the announcement as a milestone in energy innovation, positioning Virginia as a leader in the emerging fusion industry.
This initiative will be closely watched as it unfolds, with Richmond potentially becoming the birthplace of commercial fusion energy and a beacon for the global transition to clean, sustainable, and abundant power.
