Rutherford Energy Ventures, DOE Launch Fusion Infrastructure Pilot at ORNL

Rutherford Energy Ventures and the U.S. Department of Energy have launched a pilot program to advance infrastructure required for commercial fusion power. Oak Ridge National Laboratory will host the initial pilot under the FULCRA framework.

The program targets gaps in fusion nuclear systems, including radiation-hardened materials, tritium handling and fuel-cycle systems, integrated blanket technologies, and component-level testing facilities. These capabilities remain limited across the U.S. fusion sector.

This is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy and Rutherford Energy Ventures, with Oak Ridge National Laboratory supporting execution. The model combines federal laboratory assets with private investment through shared-use consortia.

Rutherford Energy Ventures will work with ORNL to assess existing fusion-relevant infrastructure and design the first testing consortium. The pilot will also establish governance, contracting, and cost-sharing frameworks for participating companies.

The partners will use results from the ORNL pilot to guide potential expansion of the FULCRA model to additional national laboratories.