Fusion energy race heats up as nations chase limitless clean power

Fusion energy could become the greatest scientific breakthrough of this century, according to Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev. He stressed that mastering this technology will shape the future of global power generation. Several nations are already racing to turn fusion into a practical energy source.

Likhachev pointed to fusion as a key challenge for modern science. He called for clear planning in the project's development stages to make electricity from fusion a reality. Collaboration between Rosatom, the Kurchatov Institute, and the Russian Academy of Sciences will play a vital role in this effort.

Three countries are leading the charge in tokamak-based fusion research. Japan's JT-60SA reactor began operations in December 2023. China's EAST tokamak set a record in 2025 by sustaining plasma for 1,066 seconds. Meanwhile, the international ITER project in France is progressing under its Baseline 2024 plan, aiming for deuterium-tritium experiments with an energy gain of at least ten times the input. Russia's own TRT initiative has secured funding for research and development. Technical documents for the project are now under review. Likhachev described the construction of a tokamak-based reactor facility as a crucial step toward achieving fusion power.

The push for fusion energy involves major international projects and significant investment. Russia's TRT initiative, alongside efforts in Japan, China, and France, marks a coordinated drive to unlock clean, limitless power. Success in these ventures could redefine how the world produces electricity in the decades ahead.