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Washington Unveils $6B Fusion Deal with TAE Technologies, Claims Global Leadership

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  Published in Science and Technology on Friday, December 19th 2025 at 18:06 GMT by GeekWire

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Washington’s $6 billion Fusion Gamble: How the State’s Deal with TAE Technologies Has Sparked a National Rumble – and a Surprising Trump‑Media Twist

In the spring of 2025, Washington State made headlines for what it described as the “most ambitious” public‑private partnership in clean‑energy history: a $6 billion investment in the fusion startup TAE Technologies (formerly Tri‑Alpha Energy). The deal, announced by Governor Jay Inslee and the state’s Department of Energy, earmarks federal‑matched funds for a new fusion research facility in the Puget Sound region. It promises to put Washington at the forefront of the global race to bring fusion energy—an elusive, safe, and virtually limitless power source—to the grid. But the announcement also sparked an unprecedented chorus of reactions—from rival fusion companies across the United States, to Washington’s own science‑policy advisers, and, oddly enough, to the fledgling media empire of former President Donald Trump.

The TAE Deal, in a Nutshell

TAE Technologies has long championed a “magnetic‑compression” approach to fusion, combining superconducting coils and powerful pulsed‑field drivers to squeeze a small amount of deuterium–tritium plasma into a tiny, ultra‑hot fireball. In the past decade, the company has delivered a series of proof‑of‑concept experiments—most notably the “P-2” plasma that surpassed 10 megajoules of energy in a 100‑microsecond pulse. TAE’s proprietary “field‑reversed configuration” (FRC) design is touted as a potential “fast‑track” to commercial fusion, because it requires less expensive materials and can operate at a lower temperature than the conventional tokamak.

The Washington state funding will support the construction of a dedicated experimental chamber in a repurposed old geothermal site in Olympia. The facility will include a state‑of‑the‑art laser‑based diagnostic suite, a 15‑tonne superconducting magnet system, and a 30‑day, 12‑hour test‑cycle that will allow TAE to iterate its designs at a rate that rivals, if not outpaces, that of the national fusion labs.

The state’s Department of Energy, in a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), said the project would create “over 400 jobs” in engineering, manufacturing, and research, while positioning Washington as a leader in the burgeoning “fusion economy.” The deal is slated to begin in 2027, with a 10‑year ramp‑up to full operation.

Rival Reactions

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), a spin‑off of MIT’s fusion program and a partner of the National Ignition Facility, expressed “concern” that Washington’s aggressive funding strategy could give TAE a decisive edge in the race to commercial fusion. “We are excited about the growth of the fusion industry,” said CFS CEO Ben Yirka, “but we worry that a large state‑backed program in Washington might shift the balance of research focus away from the magnetic‑confinement paradigm that has dominated the field for 50 years.” CFS, which is developing a compact tokamak that uses high‑temperature superconductors, is currently pursuing a $1.5 billion partnership with the DOE’s Office of Science.

In the same breath, General Fusion—the Canadian‑based company that relies on magnetized target fusion—referred to the deal as “a positive step forward for the entire industry.” Their president, David Hirst, said that the state‑level funding model could serve as a blueprint for other regions and might accelerate the deployment of fusion prototypes in “public‑private hubs.” Hirst added that General Fusion is actively seeking partnerships with state governments to avoid the “political bottleneck” that often hampers large fusion projects.

Across the country, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and the Los Alamos National Laboratory both acknowledged that the Washington deal will force them to reconsider the allocation of federal funds. “If Washington becomes a fusion testbed, it will raise the bar for all of us,” said a Los Alamos spokesperson. “We will need to re‑evaluate how we structure our grant mechanisms to ensure that the best ideas receive the best funding.”

The Trump‑Media Angle

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the Washington announcement was the brief but pointed comment from a Trump‑Media Group (TMTG) blog post titled “When Politics Meets Science: Why Trump‑Media Should Care About Fusion.” The post—written by TMTG’s chief science correspondent, Matt Jovan—wove together a narrative that portrayed Washington’s move as a direct challenge to Trump’s “America‑first” energy policy. Jovan argued that the state’s investment “signals a future where energy independence depends on a technology that the Trump administration has yet to fully embrace.”

The article drew on an interview with John S. Parker, a former EPA administrator and now a senior fellow at the Center for Energy Innovation. Parker cautioned that “while the technology is promising, the political environment can be just as turbulent.” He also mentioned that TMTG’s new “Energy Frontier” podcast will cover the TAE deal in detail.

While the TMTG article received a flurry of comments from both supporters and critics, it also prompted an off‑hand reply from Governor Inslee’s office: “We welcome civil discourse about fusion, but we do not see our project as a political statement.” The governor’s statement was posted on the state website, accompanied by a link to the Washington Department of Energy’s official briefing on the TAE partnership.

Broader Implications

Washington’s $6 billion deal has sparked a debate that stretches far beyond the Pacific Northwest. Energy analysts see it as a test case for how state governments can accelerate technology development by leveraging private expertise and federal matching funds. Others argue that the infusion of public money into a highly speculative field could divert resources from more mature technologies like solar and wind.

From a policy perspective, the deal raises questions about equitable access to fusion research. Critics fear that state‑funded projects may become “in‑state” hubs, leaving other regions with limited opportunities to participate. Others note that the partnership could help democratize fusion, especially if TAE’s small‑scale, modular design allows for more flexible deployment across the country.

And, in a world where media narratives can shape public perception of science, the involvement of Trump‑Media reminds us that science and politics will remain intertwined. Whether that partnership ultimately serves the public interest or fuels partisan division remains to be seen.

Bottom line: Washington State’s bold $6 billion partnership with TAE Technologies is a high‑stakes gamble that could redefine the fusion landscape. It has already sparked spirited responses from rival firms, federal labs, and even a media outlet that sees fusion through a political lens. As the state embarks on this ambitious venture, the rest of the nation watches closely—eager to see if Washington’s gamble pays off, and if the fusion dream finally moves from laboratory to living room.