Things You Gotta Know
Fusion power nearly ready for prime time as Commonwealth builds first pilot with AI help from Siemens, NVIDIA
Commonwealth Fusion Systems CEO Bob Mumgaard joined Siemens CEO Roland Busch at the CES 2026 keynote to announce a collaboration using Nvidia Omniverse AI tech and Siemens industrial software to build a digital twin of the SPARC fusion project. CFS is constructing its SPARC demonstration reactor outside Boston, with completion targeted by end of 2026 and first plasma in 2027, followed by its commercial ARC plant near Richmond, Virginia in the early 2030s. The 400-megawatt ARC facility would be the world's first fusion plant providing steady power to the grid, capable of powering about 300,000 homes. The announcement comes as the fusion sector faces intensifying competition.
Trump Media & Technology Group and TAE Technologies Commence Site Selection Planning Process for Pioneering Fusion Power Plant
Trump Media & Technology Group and TAE Technologies announced that site selection for their first fusion power plant is underway, with construction anticipated to begin in 2026 following completion of their $6 billion all-stock merger. The initial plant is expected to be 50 MWe, with future facilities planned at 350-500 MWe. Site criteria include a minimum of 20 acres, access to a primary distribution grid, proximity to metropolitan areas, and supportive local governments. TAE CEO Dr. Michl Binderbauer and TMTG Chairman Devin Nunes will serve as co-CEOs of the combined company, with the transaction expected to close mid-2026 pending shareholder and regulatory approvals.
Building a Fusion-Ready Workforce: Why STEM and Trades Education Are Key to America's Energy Future
Industry experts warn that a shortage of qualified talent could slow fusion's commercialization just as pilot projects prepare to come online. Estimates suggest commercial fusion could create 400,000 to more than one million jobs by 2050, with national lab leaders noting at least 28,000 new skilled workers are needed within the next decade. China is producing nearly 10 times more PhDs in fusion-related fields than the U.S., intensifying competitive pressure. The authors call for expanded STEM and trades education, scaling technical apprenticeships, creating national "fusion-ready" credentials, and establishing regional workforce hubs tied to manufacturing growth.
New filing: Seattle fusion startup Avalanche Energy raising fresh cash
Seattle-based Avalanche Energy is raising a fresh $14.9 million funding round according to a new SEC filing, adding to the $50 million previously raised from investors including Lowercarbon Capital, Founders Fund, and Toyota Ventures. The company is pursuing a different strategy than many competitors by building desktop-sized fusion energy devices and working multiple angles for revenue generation. Avalanche is part of a Pacific Northwest fusion hub that includes Helion Energy, which broke ground in July on what it says will be the first fusion plant to put power on the grid starting in 2028.
Fusion energy startup works with Nvidia, Siemens to speed breakthroughs
Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Nvidia, and Siemens announced they are using AI to accelerate fusion development by creating a "digital twin" of CFS's demonstration machine. CFS CEO Bob Mumgaard stated the collaboration will allow the company to "compress years of manual experimentation into weeks of virtual optimization." CFS aims to hit a key technical milestone in 2027 by generating net energy at its demonstration machine before producing commercial-scale fusion energy in the early 2030s. The company also announced it installed the first of 18 magnets required for SPARC, with each magnet weighing 24 tons.
TAE and Trump Media – Bull or Bear?
The Trump Media-TAE Technologies merger isn’t a simple acquisition. It’s a sophisticated reverse merger transforming a volatile media stock into a diversified hard-tech conglomerate. We break down the $6 billion valuation, the holding company structure, and why early institutional investors like Google, Chevron, and Goldman Sachs are quietly celebrating this unorthodox exit.
