OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WVLT) – The University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have partnered with Type One Energy to bring a next-generation nuclear fusion facility to East Tennessee.
The high-heat flux facility will evaluate how materials react under extreme conditions in a fusion device and accelerate the development of plasma-facing components, which experience the harshest operational conditions in fusion energy devices.
The facility will be only the second of its kind in the United States, capable of replicating the high-heat flux present in fusion devices. It will also be the only domestic facility to include pressurized helium gas cooling.
“This unique collaboration of breakthrough science, industry innovation and academic leadership will result in the creation of a national facility critical to the success of realizing commercial fusion,” said ORNL Director Stephen Streiffer. “As the Oak Ridge Corridor continues to serve as the hub of nuclear and fusion energy development, ORNL is excited to play a role in this pivotal next step in the future of fusion.”
The facility fulfills the need to deliver domestic HHF capabilities to advance the understanding of materials performance and lifetime limits in containing plasma hotter than the sun.
“This is yet another opportunity to expand our unique East Tennessee nuclear ecosystem, which has strong support of the local community and public-private partnerships to enable the continued development and expansion of both advanced fission and fusion energy,” Brian Wirth, UT Nuclear Engineering Department Head and UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair Professor said.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is conditioning the Bull Run Energy Complex for the facility, and the project is predicted to be completed by the end of 2027.
“This collaboration and the high-heat flux facility at TVA’s Bull Run site further advance this region’s reputation as a leader in fusion innovation,” said CEO of Type One Energy Christofer Mowry. “The DOE, ORNL and UT are playing important roles in advancing America’s commercial fusion sector.”
The facility will leverage the significant investments already made in fusion materials and technology in East Tennessee, including UT’s expertise in fusion materials design and ORNL’s fusion materials development program, materials characterization capabilities and Manufacturing Demonstration Facility.
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“It’s exciting to witness the convergence of science and innovation toward a commercially viable fusion industry in the U.S. We very much look forward to the insights gleaned from these partnerships and the realization of real-world impacts toward making fusion a viable energy source for the future,” said Joe Hoagland, interim associate laboratory director for ORNL’s Fusion and Fission Energy and Science Directorate.
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