The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has announced that Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), the world's largest fusion energy company, will become the first international organization to join the UK's flagship Lithium Breeding Tritium Innovation (LIBRTI) programme.
Backed by £220 million in funding from the UK government, LIBRTI is designed to demonstrate net tritium production—an essential milestone for the commercialization of fusion energy. Achieving net tritium production would enable future fusion power plants to generate sufficient tritium fuel to sustain their own operations.
As part of the initiative, UKAEA is developing a pioneering research facility at its Culham Campus following the acquisition of a high-flux neutron source. This facility will support the testing and validation of fusion blanket technologies under conditions that closely replicate those expected in commercial-scale fusion reactors.
In fusion power systems, the blanket is the component where neutrons produced during the fusion reaction interact with lithium, producing tritium—a hydrogen isotope used as fusion fuel. This process, known as tritium breeding, is critical for the long-term viability of fusion energy. The LIBRTI facility will provide industry partners with a unique environment to evaluate and optimize blanket technologies for future fusion power plants.
Founded in 2018 as a spinout from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Commonwealth Fusion Systems is headquartered in Devens, Massachusetts. The company has secured more than US$3 billion in private investment, making it the most heavily funded fusion energy company worldwide. CFS is currently constructing its SPARC fusion demonstration device and aims to begin generating electricity from its first commercial ARC fusion power plant in Virginia during the early 2030s.
Under the collaboration agreement, UKAEA and CFS will jointly design experimental configurations, establish testing procedures, and carry out research activities at the LIBRTI facility. CFS will also develop the initial test components for the programme's first experiments.
"The UK Fusion Strategy highlights the nation's leadership in fusion research while also recognising the importance of international partnerships and collaboration," said Tim Bestwick, Chief Executive Officer of UKAEA.
"The participation of CFS marks a significant milestone for LIBRTI. Their involvement strengthens our programme and helps accelerate the global development of technologies required for commercial fusion power generation," said Amanda Quadling, Senior Responsible Officer for LIBRTI.
"LIBRTI's advanced testing infrastructure will enable us to validate net tritium production and further strengthen confidence in the design of our ARC blanket system. This partnership provides CFS with valuable practical experience in developing blanket technologies that are directly applicable to commercial fusion power plants. We are excited to work alongside UKAEA and the LIBRTI team as an early participant," said Brandon Sorbom, Co-founder and Chief Science Officer at CFS.
"This represents a major achievement for the fusion sector as we establish the capability to evaluate blanket performance in environments relevant to fusion reactors. We look forward to collaborating closely with UKAEA and the LIBRTI programme," said Heena Mutha, Director of Fuel Cycle and Blanket Technology at CFS.
For additional information, media inquiries may be directed to Mike Bridge, Media & Communications Manager at UKAEA, via mediaenquiry@ukaea.uk , or Christine Dunn, Head of External Communications at CFS, via press@cfs.energy .