Fusion energy company Commonwealth applies to join a U.S. power grid—a first

image via New Scientist

April 28, 2026, 4:30 PM

• •Commonwealth Fusion Systems applied to join PJM Interconnection.
• •The company aims to have its first power plant, ARC, online in the early 2030s in Virginia.
• •A model called SPARC is planned for demonstration in 2027.
• •The company uses a tokamak reactor design to combine deuterium and tritium.
• •The company's toroidal field magnet technology was validated in 2025.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems, a fusion energy start-up, has applied to join a U.S. power grid, marking a significant step towards potentially powering homes and businesses with nuclear fusion. The company plans to bring its first power plant online by the early 2030s, using a tokamak reactor design to generate energy through fusion. However, significant technical hurdles remain, including producing a stable fusion reaction that generates more energy than it consumes. The application process and the development of the technology will take years, but the company aims to demonstrate a model in 2027.

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