Despite its futuristic power supply, the process of connecting a fusion power plant to the grid isn’t actually much different from connecting other types of power, whether it be conventional nuclear, coal or renewables, said Rob Gramlich, CEO of consulting firm Grid Strategies LLC. A 400-megawatt power plant is “not that big relative to other power plants on the system,” has similar capacity to a gas plant and is smaller than nuclear fission reactors and most coal plants. And the electricity itself is made similarly to existing technologies: Hot water creates steam to turn turbines that create electricity. The difference is just in how to heat the water.
“I don’t think there’ll be anything super tricky,” Gramlich said. “I don’t see any reason why the grid couldn’t handle it.”
In addition, the small amount of fuel needed for small nuclear plants — whether fission or fusion — give them the advantage of being easier to construct in more population-dense areas, closer to existing grid infrastructure, Gramlich said.
Medical_Tailor4644 on
It’s fascinating to see Commonwealth Fusion Systems moving so fast, especially with the Fall Line project in Virginia. Moving from experimental physics to actual grid-connection applications with PJM marks a huge shift for the industry. If they can maintain that plasma stability, it really changes the conversation around clean energy timelines.
Syrairc on
I would also say this if I was developing nuclear fusion and wanted investors.
LapsedVerneGagKnee on
“Now please give us money.”
“Soon” is very relative with these sorts of unproven technologies.
illinoishokie on
Article dated 2026.
And 2018.
And 2011.
And 2004.
And 1996…
Fun_Comedian3249 on
Fission power can give us all the power we need. The latest technologies can do so safely with very little waste and only minimal CO2 emissions (from construction, mining, etc but not power production). The biggest drawback is the upfront cost and time it takes to build reactors. These are way worse for fussion. So why not use the abundant energy fission offers us now?
Firecracker048 on
Should never have abandoned nuclear power in the 80s
Au_Fraser on
I promise im really close to the dickobliviator900partnerpleaser1500-900000ASecond_C_Um(S) i just rly just need a bit to get the computer part of the thing right. I swear
schnibitz on
So the biggest delay here is the application process? SMH.
Heavy_Carpenter3824 on
Flying spaghetti monster says it will arrive soon and everyone gets a pony and 1 gazillion dollars.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
Eyedunno11 on
CNN asked the probing questions nobody who knows anything about fusion is asking, like „is it gonna be hard to jack this into the grid?“ instead of the real questions, like „where are you gonna get all the tritium you need?“
Brodiggitty on
Nuclear fusion is 20 years away and always be.
Also, nuclear fusion is 8 light minutes away and always will be.
Magnomous on
„Could“ and „Soon“
We’ve had plenty of those in the past few decades. Still nothing.
dumpyoregano on
Not if the oil companies have anything to say about it!
supergeeky_1 on
Is it still 10-20 years away? Like it has been since the mid 80’s?
VRGIMP27 on
I wish that we would build molten salt fission breeder reactors that run on thorium.
Because of how the reaction works, it is a less stable reaction, i.e. it is not self-sustaining, so it’s much safer, much less likely to have meltdown scenarios.
The trouble that it has is that because the reaction is not self sustaining, the plants have more periods of outage.
I wonder why we do not build a thorium reactor together with enough grid scale battery storage so that those more frequent outages are not a problem anymore. Think an uninterrupted power supply for a PC, except these batteries would be a UPS for your nuclear reactor.
When the plant is running you charge the batteries, when the plant is not running the grid is not interrupted.
This allows us to do nuclear fission, and a kind of fusion by proxy without the extra difficulty of confinement, breakeven, super capacitors, embitterment and embrittlement etc.
Then you re-process the waste with particle accelerators, or using the current fusion reactors just as a neutron source
brainmydamage on
Nuclear fusion has been coming „soon“ for fifty years. The same old scam is getting old.
Westerdutch on
Unicorns on treadmills could power the grid too – and soon if we find unicorns willing to walk on treadmills! There is not reason why you could not hook those up.
Lawsmay on
Hard to see what is a real breakthrough and what is looking for funding.
zushiba on
Isn’t this just the same as saying “If it produces power, connecting it to the grid isn’t that hard”, I could say the same thing about a bank of potato’s. In theory connect them to the grid to add my potato power isn’t that different than any other source of power.
We already knew this.
Ruthless4u on
It’s a nice idea, but the wind and solar lobbyists will never let it happen on a significant scale.
MustyInactivity2 on
OMG finally some good news on the energy front! lowkey hoping this isnt just hype 🙏
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From the article
Despite its futuristic power supply, the process of connecting a fusion power plant to the grid isn’t actually much different from connecting other types of power, whether it be conventional nuclear, coal or renewables, said Rob Gramlich, CEO of consulting firm Grid Strategies LLC. A 400-megawatt power plant is “not that big relative to other power plants on the system,” has similar capacity to a gas plant and is smaller than nuclear fission reactors and most coal plants. And the electricity itself is made similarly to existing technologies: Hot water creates steam to turn turbines that create electricity. The difference is just in how to heat the water.
“I don’t think there’ll be anything super tricky,” Gramlich said. “I don’t see any reason why the grid couldn’t handle it.”
In addition, the small amount of fuel needed for small nuclear plants — whether fission or fusion — give them the advantage of being easier to construct in more population-dense areas, closer to existing grid infrastructure, Gramlich said.
It’s fascinating to see Commonwealth Fusion Systems moving so fast, especially with the Fall Line project in Virginia. Moving from experimental physics to actual grid-connection applications with PJM marks a huge shift for the industry. If they can maintain that plasma stability, it really changes the conversation around clean energy timelines.
I would also say this if I was developing nuclear fusion and wanted investors.
“Now please give us money.”
“Soon” is very relative with these sorts of unproven technologies.
Article dated 2026.
And 2018.
And 2011.
And 2004.
And 1996…
Fission power can give us all the power we need. The latest technologies can do so safely with very little waste and only minimal CO2 emissions (from construction, mining, etc but not power production). The biggest drawback is the upfront cost and time it takes to build reactors. These are way worse for fussion. So why not use the abundant energy fission offers us now?
Should never have abandoned nuclear power in the 80s
I promise im really close to the dickobliviator900partnerpleaser1500-900000ASecond_C_Um(S) i just rly just need a bit to get the computer part of the thing right. I swear
So the biggest delay here is the application process? SMH.
Flying spaghetti monster says it will arrive soon and everyone gets a pony and 1 gazillion dollars.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
CNN asked the probing questions nobody who knows anything about fusion is asking, like „is it gonna be hard to jack this into the grid?“ instead of the real questions, like „where are you gonna get all the tritium you need?“
Nuclear fusion is 20 years away and always be.
Also, nuclear fusion is 8 light minutes away and always will be.
„Could“ and „Soon“
We’ve had plenty of those in the past few decades. Still nothing.
Not if the oil companies have anything to say about it!
Is it still 10-20 years away? Like it has been since the mid 80’s?
I wish that we would build molten salt fission breeder reactors that run on thorium.
Because of how the reaction works, it is a less stable reaction, i.e. it is not self-sustaining, so it’s much safer, much less likely to have meltdown scenarios.
The trouble that it has is that because the reaction is not self sustaining, the plants have more periods of outage.
I wonder why we do not build a thorium reactor together with enough grid scale battery storage so that those more frequent outages are not a problem anymore. Think an uninterrupted power supply for a PC, except these batteries would be a UPS for your nuclear reactor.
When the plant is running you charge the batteries, when the plant is not running the grid is not interrupted.
This allows us to do nuclear fission, and a kind of fusion by proxy without the extra difficulty of confinement, breakeven, super capacitors, embitterment and embrittlement etc.
Then you re-process the waste with particle accelerators, or using the current fusion reactors just as a neutron source
Nuclear fusion has been coming „soon“ for fifty years. The same old scam is getting old.
Unicorns on treadmills could power the grid too – and soon if we find unicorns willing to walk on treadmills! There is not reason why you could not hook those up.
Hard to see what is a real breakthrough and what is looking for funding.
Isn’t this just the same as saying “If it produces power, connecting it to the grid isn’t that hard”, I could say the same thing about a bank of potato’s. In theory connect them to the grid to add my potato power isn’t that different than any other source of power.
We already knew this.
It’s a nice idea, but the wind and solar lobbyists will never let it happen on a significant scale.
OMG finally some good news on the energy front! lowkey hoping this isnt just hype 🙏