Things You Gotta Know
Zap Energy Names Zabrina Johal CEO, Goes Integrated Fission-Fusion
Zap Energy named Zabrina Johal CEO this week and rolled out an integrated nuclear strategy that pairs near-term fission deployment with its long-term fusion program. Cofounder Benj Conway moves to President to lead strategy, partnerships, and long-horizon technology work. Johal joins from AtkinsRéalis and General Atomics and previously served as an officer in the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. Zap becomes the first fusion-pedigree company to formally take a parallel fission track, betting that a fission product line can fund and de-risk the path to a commercial fusion machine.
Commonwealth Fusion Files for PJM Interconnection, A Fusion First
Commonwealth Fusion Systems became the first fusion company to file a grid interconnection application with PJM, the largest U.S. wholesale electricity market, which serves about 182,000 MW of capacity across 13 states and DC and 65 million customers. The filing covers the proposed 400 MW ARC plant in Chesterfield County, Virginia and puts CFS in the queue years ahead of the completion of the power plant’s construction.
European Fusion CEOs Press EU Commission for a Fusion Strategy
On April 28, a group of European fusion and industrial CEOs supported by the FIA sent a joint letter to senior EU policymakers calling for a coordinated EU Fusion Strategy with a committed budget, mobilized capital, and a risk-informed regulatory pathway. The framing is energy security, technological sovereignty, and sustainable growth. A warning that short-term fixes won’t be enough as Europe faces another energy crisis driven by geopolitical instability and structural dependencies.
Fusion’s Cost Bar Is $50/MWh, and the Industry Has Work to Do
To win long-term PPAs against combined-cycle gas and solar, fusion must deliver power at roughly $50/MWh. A benchmark Commonwealth Fusion CEO Bob Mumgaard has argued is the threshold for broad adoption. Getting there means making cost a first-order design parameter and engineering drivers and power electronics that are both modular and maintainable. The supply-chain piece may matter most: locking down domestic and allied manufacturing before China sets the price.
nT-Tao and Mekorot Sign MoU on Fusion-Powered Water Infrastructure
Israeli compact-fusion company nT-Tao and Mekorot, Israel’s national water company, signed a memorandum of understanding to explore on-site fusion power for desalination and other critical water infrastructure. Mekorot is Israel’s largest civilian energy consumer, with power demand at roughly 4% of total state demand and annual electricity costs approaching NIS 1 billion. The MoU outlines preliminary technical and feasibility work through 2026, a dedicated R&D center, and a pilot facility built around nT-Tao’s compact 20 MW system.
The Shot Clock to Put Electricity on the Grid: Inside Fusion 2035 on May 7
On Wednesday, May 7, The Fusion Report hosts Fusion 2035: The 9-Year Shot Clock, a half-day webcast bringing seven companies onto one stage to pressure-test the mid-2030s commercial timeline. Inertia, TAE Technologies, Thea Energy, Type One Energy, Realta Fusion, Peak Nano, and E&P Technologies each take 20 minutes, followed by a 45-minute live panel moderated by Mike Heumann of Ignition Research.
The Fusion Decathlon Part 5: Who Are the Winners? Actually, No One Yet…
In the finale of The Fusion Report’s Decathlon series, we hand out the medals. Sort of. Events 8 (funding) and 9 (regulation) are essentially complete. Events 1 and 2 (plasma performance and drivers) sit at the halfway mark, with KSTAR, EAST, JET, Polaris, and SPARC closing in. Events 3 through 6 are barely underway. No clear winner yet.
Helical Fusion Closes First Tranche of Series B, Launches Helix Program Official Partners
Japan’s Helical Fusion has closed the first tranche of its Series B at JPY 2.7 billion ($17M US), bringing total funding to roughly JPY 9.8 billion ($61.4M US). The company also launched the Helix Program Official Partners with three founding industrial collaborators: NICHIAS, Hasetora Spinning, and Seno Kisen. Manufacturing for the Helix HARUKA demonstration magnets is now underway.
