Bull Run Fossil Plant site to house fusion power plant project
The fusion pilot power plant, named Infinity Two, could start adding power to the grid by the mid-2030s. A release from Type One explains it has the 'potential to repurpose retired TVA fossil fuel power plant infrastructure.'
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The new Cooperative Agreement builds on Project Infinity, which began in early 2024. The project initially focused on creating a prototype of Type One's stellarator fusion machine called Infinity One. Now, it includes the broader goal of commercializing fusion energy. The partnership will work on on-site studies, environmental reviews, licensing, project plans, and financing, using TVA's expertise to safely develop fusion power.
'Unleashing America's energy potential will take all forms of generation including fusion,' said Joe Hoagland, TVA vice president of Innovation and Research. 'Energy security is national security, and we are focused on developing a technology, supply chain, and delivery model to build an industry that can power America and the world.'
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'We are fortunate indeed to work together with an energy company like TVA,' said Type One Energy CEO Christofer Mowry. 'TVA brings us best-in-class power plant operations, maintenance, engineering, licensing, and even project planning and construction capabilities, all skills critical to success that we now don't need to try and recreate. Instead, we can focus on completing the design of Infinity Two and testing it with the Infinity One prototype in TVA's Bull Run plant. The ability for us to focus on developing and delivering the core stellarator technology materially derisks our path to fusion power plant commercialization.'
Type One Energy was the first recipient of funding through the $50 million Nuclear Energy Fund. Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank noted that the fund has helped attract companies like Type One Fusion to East Tennessee.
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'That was one of the very first expenditures from that nuclear fund. So the governor set that up and immediately capitalized on that. other investments have been Orano, which is a record-setting investment in the state of Tennessee of $5 billion for the construction of a uranium enrichment facility. So a lot is happening out of that in addition to investments and education. Whether it's UT or Tennessee Tech, there's just a lot going on there,' said Frank.
The Bull Run Fossil Plant was retired by the TVA in December 2023 after 56 years in service. Its retirement was a part of TVA's pledge to reduce its reliance on coal and focus more on clean energy
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