- The DOE award demonstrates that the results of rigorous performance tests for CFS’ full-scale toroidal field (TF) magnet, a key component at the heart of the company’s SPARC fusion machine, have been successfully validated by an independent board of technical experts from national labs.
- Following the successful results, CFS received $8 million from the DOE’s Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program, the largest amount paid to any company in the program, which aims to accelerate innovation and the commercialization of fusion power.
DEVENS, Mass., Sept. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), the largest and leading private fusion company, announced that the results of rigorous performance tests of its toroidal field (TF) magnet, a key component at the heart of the company’s SPARC fusion power machine, have been successfully validated by an independent panel of reviewers under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright visited CFS’ headquarters in Devens, Massachusetts, where the company is manufacturing their proprietary high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets and completing construction of SPARC. The visit followed the successful completion and validation of the TF milestone, and gave Secretary Wright the opportunity to observe the assembly of the SPARC fusion machine. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey also joined the delegation to witness CFS’ progress towards commercializing fusion power.
“Fusion has the potential to be transformative for the world’s energy security,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. “The Department of Energy is committed to ensuring American leadership in fusion power by accelerating innovation and collaboration across the government, our National Labs, and the private sector.”
“Fusion is the future of affordable, reliable energy — and it’s being made right here in Massachusetts,” said MassachusettsGovernor Maura Healey. “Congratulations to Commonwealth Fusion Systems on this incredible milestone and thank you to Secretary Wright and the U.S. Department of Energy for recognizing the enormous potential of fusion power here in Massachusetts.”
“DOE’s Milestone program is designed to promote progress in the development of commercial fusion energy through a rigorous review process of key technical milestones that will build confidence in this nascent industry,” said Bob Mumgaard, CEO and Co-founder of Commonwealth Fusion Systems. “Fusion will ultimately help to define the future of global energy security, economic competitiveness, and human development for generations to come. American ingenuity has helped lay the groundwork, and ongoing DOE support will help to accelerate the full realization of this groundbreaking technology.”
DOE’s Milestone program leverages public-private partnerships to catalyze the development of a new commercial fusion power industry. The milestones and completion criteria that are selected represent key achievements to de-risk the technologies, and to demonstrate real and tangible progress towards the advancement of commercial fusion. The milestones are assessed by an independent board of technical experts from national labs, and the DOE reimburses costs only upon satisfactory technical milestone achievement
The recent award to CFS provided confirmation that the company’s first production high-field D-shaped TF magnets passed a battery of acceptance tests for inclusion in the SPARC machine. These magnets use proprietary design and manufacturing processes and are based on Nobel-prize winning High Temperature Superconductors (HTS). Over a month of rigorous performance tests were performed that mimic operational modes in SPARC; the results were reviewed and validated by a team of DOE magnet experts experienced in fusion, high energy accelerator, and material science magnets. As a result of this success, the DOE awarded CFS $8 million — the biggest amount given to any company to date in its Milestone program. The magnet technology was previously validated in a series of record-setting TFMC tests in 2021, and these tests showed that the full production magnets installed in CFS’ SPARC demonstration fusion machine are meeting requirements. The magnets are now in regular serial production at the manufacturing facility. The same design is anticipated for the ARC power plant.
CFS is eligible to receive $15 million from the first budget period of the DOE Milestone program, the most of the eight participating companies. The TF magnet award is the third milestone that CFS has achieved in the program. The Milestone program currently has $46 million appropriated for the first budget period.
The DOE fusion milestone program is modeled on a successful NASA effort, called the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, which used public-private partnerships to reduce the cost of space flight and catalyze a new commercial space industry. CFS, the Fusion Industry Association, the Special Competitive Studies Project Commission on Scaling Fusion Energy, and others are calling for an expanded, demonstration phase of the Milestone program to support the first commercial demonstration fusion pilot plants, like the ARC power plant. Support for this expanded program in order to accelerate fusion’s deployment and compete with other competitor nations, was recently covered at a House Science, Space, and Technology Committee hearing.
About Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Commonwealth Fusion Systems is the world’s largest and leading private fusion company. The company’s marquee fusion project, SPARC, will generate net energy, paving the way for limitless carbon-free energy. The company has raised almost $3 billion in capital since it was founded in 2018.
SPARC® and ARC™ are trademarks of Commonwealth Fusion Systems®.
Media contacts:
Commonwealth Fusion Systems
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SOURCE Commonwealth Fusion Systems
