TVA and Type One Energy Sign Foundational Contracts for Groundbreaking Fusion Power Initiative
In a pivotal step toward realizing commercial fusion energy, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and fusion technology developer Type One Energy announced the signing of the first set of commercial contracts related to Project Infinity, a transformative fusion power plant initiative aimed at delivering clean, secure, and reliable energy to the Tennessee Valley region as early as the mid-2030s.
These landmark agreements signify the official launch of TVA’s collaborative involvement in Project Infinity and establish the technical foundation for deploying Type One Energy’s advanced stellarator-based fusion technology. The work will be anchored at TVA’s Power Service Shops (PSS) in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, with contributions from other TVA facilities across the region. Together, TVA and Type One Energy will focus on developing highly specialized welding and fabrication techniques needed to support the Infinity One stellarator fusion prototype, which is currently being assembled at the former Bull Run Fossil Plant site near Knoxville, Tennessee.
The implications of this announcement go beyond technical collaboration. These contracts cement TVA’s role as a key industrial and strategic partner in a program that is not only poised to lead the global race for commercially viable fusion energy but also generate significant near-term economic and workforce development benefits throughout the Tennessee Valley. If successful, Project Infinity could pave the way for a subsequent full-scale fusion power facility utilizing Type One Energy’s next-generation Infinity Two stellarator machine.
Strategic and Technological Milestone in U.S. Fusion Development
Project Infinity represents a convergence of cutting-edge physics, advanced manufacturing, and strategic public-private collaboration. At the heart of the project is the stellarator, a magnetic confinement fusion device known for its inherent stability, continuous operation potential, and engineering advantages over other fusion approaches such as the tokamak.
Stellarators can theoretically maintain plasma confinement in a steady-state without the same reliance on large pulsed currents, making them less susceptible to disruptions and more viable for sustained power generation. Type One Energy’s Infinity One and Infinity Two designs represent the latest evolution of this technology, incorporating novel magnetic field shaping, modern materials science, and modular engineering principles.
However, achieving a functional and scalable commercial fusion plant requires more than theoretical physics—it demands robust infrastructure, industrial precision, and experienced partners with decades of hands-on knowledge in power plant construction and operations. That is where TVA, with its century-long legacy of power generation innovation and technical excellence, becomes an invaluable asset to the fusion industry.
TVA’s Power Service Shops: A Legacy of Excellence, Reimagined for Fusion
TVA’s Power Service Shops (PSS) in Muscle Shoals will serve as a crucial hub for developing and testing the fusion-specific manufacturing and welding procedures necessary for building stellarator machines. For nearly a hundred years, the PSS has provided overhaul, refurbishment, and precision engineering services for some of the most demanding components in the electricity sector, including nuclear, hydroelectric, and fossil generation systems.
Now, these facilities—and the highly skilled labor force they employ—are being redirected toward one of the most ambitious energy infrastructure undertakings of the 21st century.
“The capabilities at TVA’s Power Service Shops are second to none,” said Mark Ruis, Vice President of Stellarator Maintenance and Inspection Solutions at Type One Energy. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with TVA before in the nuclear and hydro sectors, and their workforce is among the best in the industry. Leveraging their experience will significantly reduce risk as we advance both the Infinity One prototype and the full-scale Infinity Two system.”
Under the new contracts, teams at PSS will begin work immediately on developing customized fabrication and welding protocols suitable for the unique structural demands of stellarator fusion devices. This includes precision work with complex vacuum vessel geometries, advanced materials subject to high heat fluxes, and novel magnet structures—each requiring ultra-high reliability and consistency.
Regional Economic Development and Energy Leadership
While fusion power is often discussed in terms of decades-long development timelines, these contracts offer immediate economic and strategic value for communities within the Tennessee Valley. TVA’s engagement in Project Infinity brings fusion energy out of the laboratory and into a region with an existing industrial base, trained workforce, and longstanding commitment to innovation in energy infrastructure.
“This isn’t just a story about the future of power,” said a TVA official. “It’s about jobs, economic growth, and technological leadership beginning now. The Tennessee Valley is stepping into the future of energy and helping define it.”
The TVA-PSS partnership creates a compelling model for how legacy energy institutions can evolve and retool their capabilities to align with emerging clean technologies. It also demonstrates how government-linked organizations like TVA can play a vital role in accelerating the commercialization of fusion power by de-risking technical pathways and building early-stage momentum.
A Broader Vision for America’s Clean Energy Future
The agreement comes amid a broader national and international push to accelerate fusion energy as a zero-carbon, dispatchable baseload power source. With climate targets looming and energy demand expected to surge, fusion—long regarded as the “holy grail” of clean energy—has re-entered the spotlight, bolstered by rapid advances in plasma science, artificial intelligence, high-temperature superconductors, and additive manufacturing.
The U.S. Department of Energy has already launched several fusion public-private partnership initiatives, and private investment in the sector has skyrocketed in recent years. Project Infinity and the TVA-Type One collaboration stand out for their integration of existing infrastructure, public utility resources, and forward-leaning technology.
Type One Energy’s choice of the Bull Run site near Knoxville—a former coal plant being reimagined for a fusion future—is symbolic of the broader energy transition underway in the United States. The company has laid out a plan to leverage the site’s existing grid connection, access to skilled labor, and strong regional support to advance its technology toward commercial readiness.
