Tenn. grants license to develop nuclear fusion reactor

NASHVILLE — Tennessee just took a step toward developing a technology that could one day be a "virtually limitless" source of clean energy. Last week, the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation and Gov. Bill Lee announced they had granted the Knoxville-based Type One Energy a license for a new nuclear fusion project. Nuclear fusion is the same reaction that occurs in the sun. Fusion does not require uranium and, therefore, is generally considered much a safer form of energy than its counterpart, nuclear fission. Researchers have yet to replicate nuclear fusion on an industrial scale, but the International Atomic Energy Agency says that, if done correctly, it would provide "virtually limitless clean, safe, and affordable energy to meet the world's demand." "As the global epicenter of nuclear energy, Tennessee is building the workforce, infrastructure and regulatory framework needed to lead the next generation of nuclear innovation," said Lee in a release. "By creating a clear path for emerging technologies like fusion, we're advancing the reliable, abundant American energy we'll need for generations to come." "Project Infinity," as it is named, is slated to break ground this year in Clinton, Tennessee. The company running it, Type One Energy, will begin by developing a prototype. If all goes to plan, the company expects to have a 400-megawatt nuclear fusion power plant operational by 2034. The average U.S. nuclear power plant has a capacity of 1 gigawatt, or 1,000 megawatts. The license is the first of its kind to be issued in the nation. It follows a new regulatory framework that went into effect in 2023 which expanded state authority over the regulation of nuclear materials. "The importance of this milestone cannot be overstated," said Christofer Mowry, CEO of Type One Energy, in a release. "Tennessee's licensing process is now the international benchmark for how to ensure fusion power plant 'safety by design' in a manner that can unlock the compelling economics of this transformational power generation technology." Lee has made nuclear power a primary focus during his tenure as Tennessee governor, hoping to capitalize on the increasing demand for energy driven by artificial intelligence. Currently, Tennessee is in the running to host a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus, which would be a national hub for nuclear research and development — and potentially require the state to store large amounts of nuclear waste produced by other nuclear fission reactors in the country. Last year, the U.S. Department of Energy has also awarded a $400 million grant to the Tennessee Valley Authority for development of a small modular reactor at the Clinch River nuclear site in Oak Ridge. Two years earlier, Lee created the Nuclear Energy Fund, seeding it with $70 million to attract nuclear technology companies to the state.