The March 2022 summit at the White House that signalled a dramatic shift in U.S. fusion policy — embracing private industry and setting a “Bold Decadal Vision” for commercial fusion energy.
On March 17, 2022, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) convened a summit on fusion energy, bringing together government officials, national laboratory leaders, private fusion company CEOs, and investors. It was the first time a U.S. administration had held a high-level event specifically focused on accelerating commercial fusion.[1]
At and following the summit, DOE announced several new initiatives: the Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program ($50M initially, pairing government funds with private investment); expanded INFUSE partnerships; and a commitment to developing a fusion regulatory framework distinct from fission. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission subsequently decided to regulate fusion as byproduct material rather than under the stricter reactor framework.[2]
The summit marked the U.S. government’s formal embrace of the private fusion industry as a partner, not a competitor, to the national laboratory program. It catalysed over $1 billion in new private investment and energised congressional support for increased fusion funding.[3]