Fusion technology company relocating headquarters to Tennessee

(The Center Square) – Kyoto Fusioneering is moving its Seattle, Wash. headquarters to Oak Ridge, Tenn., creating 51 new jobs and investing $46.9 million, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development said Wednesday. The company will receive a grant from Tennessee's Nuclear Energy Fund. When asked the amount of the grant, a spokesman for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development said it would be added to the Nuclear Fund Project Database online within 30 days. Gov. Bill Lee initiated the Nuclear Energy Fund in the 2023-24 budget with a $50 million allocation. The General Assembly has added more money to the fund during the 2024, 2025 and 2026 sessions, bringing the fund's total to $95 million, according to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. Kyoto Fusioneering's plans include the "buildout of critical fusion testing infrastructure designed to drive down fusion technology risk," according to the department. The company announced a partnership with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in January. "Relocating our U.S. headquarters to Oak Ridge was a strategic decision driven by our partnership with ORNL and the region's rich nuclear innovation ecosystem," said Bibake Uppal, president of Kyoto Fusioneering America. "By anchoring our operations here, we are doing more than expanding KF—we are building the critical, commercial-scale testing infrastructure and robust supply chains that the entire fusion industry needs to scale." The project is one of many located near Oak Ridge, one of the sites for the Manhattan Project, which led to the production of nuclear weapons. "KF's transformational investment in Oak Ridge further supports the Valley's leadership in scientific and energy innovation and reflects the strength of partnerships as we work together to unleash American energy," said Heidi Smith, vice president of economic development for the Tennessee Valley Authority. Nearly $60 million in grants have been distributed from the Nuclear Energy Fund since 2024, according to the online database. The latest is an $11 million grant awarded to Triso-X to expand its nuclear fuel operation in Oak Ridge, a project that's expected to create more than 1,100 jobs, state officials said. The money from the fund is not just for companies. Roane State Community College, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and Tennessee Tech University each received a grant to develop nuclear energy programs. The city of Oak Ridge received $1.9 million in 2025 to purchase 166.31 acres that it planned to transfer to Oklo, Inc., according to the online database. Oklo, Inc. received a $13 million grant from the Nuclear Energy Fund, also in 2025 for a reactor and fuel recycling facility. The Oklo project is expected to create 812 jobs, state officials said.