Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) announced on Thursday that it will receive $85 million from the U.S. government to develop advanced chips for the fusion power industry. As fusion power startups race to complete their first demonstration devices, CFS aims to activate its Sparc reactor sometime next year. However, building one reactor is merely a proof point; to establish dozens of commercial power plants, fusion startups will require more durable power electronics and a robust supply chain.

CHIPS Act Award

The new CHIPS Act award from the Department of Commerce not only provides funding but also grants the government a stake in CFS. This funding is expected to enhance research and development (R&D) and manufacturing capacity for semiconductors in the U.S. Brandon Sorbom, co-founder and chief science officer at CFS, stated in a blog post:

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"Ultimately, that means a more capable, economical power plant and a stronger U.S. supply chain to build it."