Chesterfield one step closer to hosting world’s first commercial nuclear fusion plant

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A zoning application has been filed in Chesterfield County for what could be the world's first commercial nuclear fusion power plant.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems, an energy technology company out of Massachusetts, has filed a zoning application in Chesterfield County to build a new fusion power plant.

The application was submitted under a conditional use permit (CUP), which outlines the development of a 94-acre parcel of land within the James River Industrial Center.

The property, which is currently zoned for industrial use, would hold a groundbreaking fusion facility called ARC. It would be capable of delivering up to 400 megawatts of carbon-free electricity to the power grid.

According to documents submitted to county officials, the ARC plant would include a series of connected buildings for power generation and support operations, as well as auxiliary structures like battery storage, cooling towers, overhead transmission lines and generator tie lines.

Unlike traditional nuclear power, fusion doesn't produce long-lived radioactive waste or risk of meltdown. CFS said the design is built on technology from a demonstration machine known as SPARC, which will offer a clean, safe, and reliable alternative to fossil fuels.

With its SPARC demonstration project scheduled to begin operations in 2026, the company plans to use it as the basis for the $2 billion fusion plant. The new Chesterfield facility would connect to Dominion Energy's grid and could be a major step toward safe and clean energy.

The zoning application is currently under review by Chesterfield County officials.