Washington, DC - Today, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced that Tokamak Energy Inc., with operations in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, has been chosen by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science to receive funding to participate in a public-private partnership with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to conduct a post irradiation examination of nickel doped fusion steels irradiated in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). The partnership will help to accelerate fusion energy development. Chairman Manchin’s Energy Act of 2020 and Chips and Science Act of 2022 provided bipartisan direction and support for the DOE to undertake an ambitious program to develop fusion technologies to be commercially deployable in the next ten years.
“Fusion energy truly has the potential to transform our future, and I am proud to see West Virginia continue to uphold our legacy as America’s energy powerhouse and continue research into this exciting future energy source. Congress has been ambitious when it comes to fusion, and I am glad to see the Department of Energy continue to follow through on the laws we’ve passed to develop this advanced energy technology and ensure America remains a global energy leader," said Chairman Manchin.