Bipartisan commission report urges national fusion strategy

In the report Fusion Forward: Powering America's Future issued earlier this month by the Special Competitive Studies Project's (SCSP) Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy, it warns that the United States is on the verge of losing the fusion power race to China.

Noting that China has invested at least $6.5 billion in its fusion enterprise since 2023, almost three times the funding received by the U.S. Department of Energy's fusion program over the same period, the commission report urges the U.S. government to prioritize the rapid commercialization of fusion energy to secure U.S. national security and restore American energy leadership.

SCSP is a nonpartisan, nonprofit initiative making recommendations to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness in emerging technologies. Launched in fall 2024, the 13-member commission is led by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D., Wash.) and Jim Risch (R., Idaho), along with SCSP president and commission co-chair Ylli Bajraktari.

Strategic recommendations: The commission's report, Fusion Forward: Powering America's Future, makes several recommendations for the U.S. government:

Launch a national fusion goal: The United States must launch a legacy-defining national goal to break ground on more than one industry-led fusion demonstration power plants before the end of the current presidential term.

Declare fusion a national security priority: The president should issue an executive order declaring fusion a national security priority to mobilize a whole-of-government effort to win the fusion race.

Invest to win: The U.S. government should invest $10 billion for fusion commercialization to empower U.S. companies and scientists to out-innovate state-backed competitors and build the fundamental infrastructure for a domestic fusion industry.

Streamline and strengthen: Implement strategic actions to cut regulatory red tape, build robust supply chains, and develop the fusion workforce.

Quotables: "Our preliminary report underscored both the urgent need and opportunity for the United States to lead the world in the rapid commercialization of fusion energy," said commission co-chair Cantwell. "This final report provides the actionable roadmap to get us there: a national strategy that could focus and supercharge America's unique innovation ecosystem, talent pool, and pioneering fusion companies to build the fusion-powered economy of the future right here in the United States."

Commission co-chair Risch said, "Upholding America's leadership in energy production is critical for U.S. industry, technological development, and countering competition from bad actors like China. As the demand for energy continues to surge, we must produce even more reliable, base-load power. Leading on fusion will be vital in a race we cannot afford to lose."

"The nation first to master this technology will gain advantages that may prove decisive in the competition for global leadership in the 21st century," Bajraktari added. "Our report moves beyond strategy to provide a concrete, actionable plan for victory. These recommendations demand bold investment and unwavering resolve, but the price of inaction would be far greater."