Commonwealth Fusion Systems gets $85M for fusion-ready semiconductors

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) says it will receive an $85 million U.S. government award to develop semiconductors and power electronics for fusion power plants. The award comes through the CHIPS Act and includes a government stake in the company, according to CFS.

The company plans to use the funding across five initiatives. One is advancing silicon carbide power electronics, which are used to manage high voltages. In fusion machines, they help drive the superconducting magnets that confine plasma inside a reactor.

CFS also plans to develop next-generation radio-frequency power generators used to heat fusion fuel, along with advanced electronics for faster reactor control and greater radiation resistance. The company says radiation-hardened electronics could last longer in a fusion plant and reduce operating costs.

Another initiative would adapt AI hardware, including GPUs and TPUs, for power plants. CFS co-founder and chief science officer Brandon Sorbom said in a blog post that the funding could strengthen U.S. chip and power-electronics industries while advancing fusion energy toward the electrical grid.

CFS is aiming to turn on its Sparc reactor sometime next year. The award is intended to support research and development and semiconductor manufacturing capacity in the United States, the company said.