U.S. Department of Energy and Kyoto Fusioneering Launch Strategic Partnership to Build Critical Fusion Infrastructure and Accelerate Deployment of Commercial Fusion Power

WASHINGTON & TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Kyoto Fusioneering (KF) established a landmark partnership to deliver critical fusion infrastructure and perform collaborative R&D to drive down technology and commercialization risk.

Anchored by a new public-private partnership between KF and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) that leverages each institution’s expertise in fusion technology to develop world-leading fusion test facilities and technology, this agreement establishes a new paradigm in U.S.-Japan allied cooperation and public-private partnership towards accelerating the deployment of commercial fusion power.

Under the new partnership, KF and ORNL will commence joint research and development activities focused on fusion breeding blanket systems, a critical technology for producing the tritium fuel needed to sustain fusion power generation. This includes laying the groundwork for the joint development of UNITY-3, a world leading breeding blanket test facility to be built at ORNL. KF and ORNL will immediately begin work to deliver UNITY-3 as a next-generation flexible fusion nuclear platform. The facility is designed to validate tritium breeding blanket performance with prototypic neutrons and component geometries, a critical step towards delivering commercial power plants. Underscoring the urgent market demand for this capability, the initiative has garnered strong industry endorsement from ten partners, including seven leading U.S. fusion development programs.

In parallel, KF and ORNL will work with Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to leverage KF’s complementary UNITY-1 and UNITY-2 facilities in Japan and Canada, respectively, for non-nuclear blanket, thermal cycle, and tritium fuel cycle technology development, all part of DOE’s Tritium Blanket Development Platform under the Fusion Nuclear Science mission.

This partnership unites the DOE’s Tritium Blanket Development Platform (TBDP) and KF’s global Unique Integrated Testing Facility (UNITY™) programs to execute on the Build-Innovate-Grow strategy to close critical gaps identified in the DOE Office of Science’s Fusion Science & Technology Roadmap. These programs systematically elevate technology readiness level (TRL) of the tritium breeding blanket and fuel cycle systems by delivering logically linked, increasingly prototypic test environments and exploiting them through private-led and public-enabled coordination.

This agreement pioneers a model for coordinated public-private investment and international collaboration. Led by a market-driven commercial imperative and enabled by world-leading science, the partnership merges KF’s engineering and fusion technology excellence with the scientific pedigree of the DOE national laboratories. This synergy strengthens the deep strategic bond between the U.S. and Japan, pooling allied resources to forge a fusion industrial base unrivaled across the globe.

“Fusion energy represents a transformational opportunity for our energy future,” said Dr. Darío Gil, DOE Under Secretary for Science. “This partnership reflects DOE’s commitment to working with trusted allies and the private sector to build critical infrastructure, strengthen American competitiveness, and deliver real, measurable progress toward making fusion energy a reality.”

“The United States and Japan share a long history of close cooperation in science and technology,” said Dr. Satoshi Konishi, Co-Founder and CEO of Kyoto Fusioneering. “Through this strategic partnership with DOE, we are proud to contribute KF and Japan’s fusion technology and engineering expertise to advance fusion nuclear science, reduce risk for fusion power plants, and support the long-term success of the U.S. and Japanese fusion ecosystems.”

About U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science

DOE’s Office of Science (SC) is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. Its Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program is actively executing the Fusion Science & Technology Roadmap to accelerate the delivery of commercial fusion power. For more information, please visit https://www.energy.gov/science.

About Kyoto Fusioneering

Kyoto Fusioneering (KF) is the world’s premier fusion technology and integrated systems provider, supporting many of the world’s most advanced private and public fusion programs. As the largest fusion company to emerge from Japan, KF delivers critical-path technologies—including plasma heating, thermal management, and fuel cycle systems—essential for commercial fusion power. Headquartered in Tokyo, KF operates globally with subsidiaries in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, and a joint venture in Canada.