[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",5978200,"mediaKeyId","5796947-1a1870dca93d70f643f844204b7d9189","parentId",5796947,"title","Panel details tritium safety practices and says public engagement is key to siting fusion facilities","audioSeconds",125,"startMs",4665000,"endMs",4790000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5796947-1a1870dca93d70f643f844204b7d9189&start=4665&end=4790","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5796947-1a1870dca93d70f643f844204b7d9189/thumbnail_4665000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5978200/Panel-details-tritium-safety-practices-and-says-public-engagement-is-key-to-siting-fusion-facilities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978200-f2c74d965c7504b0df31285542c88341/orig.mp4?Expires=1770515338&Signature=bWyRHbXpSVBHxC-kz37KKg5GDGeSx-UCCUpVEzIALliZYFUKYM1qz16KmONN75pjrcL3uhG1SwNYgCdnYZ4Dk9BCW-dvt1fegPWz1ABTXkEEuogxzvgO6D9MqGg6CVvyOD5JBlF3WLVJ9J8siz3ZlxoqoEhtD6B7XRRpKvxpq7qO3A~9968B6y5a9o~ZfykSHLGuBglF3rx5~Ztgd~ODh22U6IrmuK2LO6ubMrhTY8lB6w2sl0C~flbXUq8jCSuvuUWJ7Nyvqz6A6aNYF5I~UB3CaoD7haqRKswLaiKk0Gcy7l7fWUoGiFhA35YmuyELgzXvb4AIIFmX91rCADcy5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology","date","2025-09-19T03:59:31Z","article","When members asked about safety and public acceptance for tritium handling, industry and national‑lab witnesses described active, open collaboration on fuel‑cycle safety and public outreach. \"The industry has a pretty consensus view that in issues related to safety and public acceptance, we should be very open and collaborative with each other,\" said Will Regan. He and other witnesses described an international tritium working group convened by DOE that shares best practices, tours facilities and coordinates technical approaches.

Bob Mumgaard and other witnesses cited Savannah River National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory as repositories of experience in tritium handling and fuel‑cycle techniques; Mumgaard said Savannah River is a natural partner for fuel‑cycle work and that the lab network is already engaged in collaborative efforts called \"fire collaboratives\" to study fuel‑cycle issues. Dr. Mumgaard said industry collaboration with labs has enabled siting dialogues where companies take a \"listening mindset\" with host communities.

Why it matters: tritium is an isotope used in many fusion fuel cycles and must be managed at the design, licensing and operations stages. Witnesses argued that early, transparent community engagement and leveraging national‑lab expertise would reduce public concern and accelerate licensing.

No legislative decision was made during the hearing; members requested follow‑up technical details about fuel‑cycle demonstration plans.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Igniting America's Energy Future: The Promise and Progress of Fusion Power","oneSentenceSummary","Industry and lab witnesses described existing tritium expertise at national labs, international working groups, and collaborative safety practices; they told the committee that open engagement with host communities and leveraging lab expertise will be important for siting and operating pilot plants.","taxTitle","Science, Space, and Technology: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1823,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},5978205,"Witnesses press for apprenticeships, community college partnerships and regional fusion hubs",83,3327000,3410000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5796947-1a1870dca93d70f643f844204b7d9189&start=3327&end=3410","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5796947-1a1870dca93d70f643f844204b7d9189/thumbnail_3327000.jpg","/articles/5978205/Witnesses-press-for-apprenticeships-community-college-partnerships-and-regional-fusion-hubs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978205-df521596703db84a6b78853b1c81016d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770515338&Signature=oEzZQ7MKyWd9jrMdhfzA5N9GA-LranIqS1uc-12qGdoSnNpGItdTHJ90ChWmf3SL6AX5DEwMN1l9d8J3L2ts8~m0XIfY4IJ4pijAPVM6EFh9FIWZ5Hk6qvjYQa6aOQRn7P~GHNCgjz6bWtvLgF0W3sZp7C6KEV2Sq5mHLo3jd92dFMbERZpeI6jQzZ0MSs-XabSO~2f2gojdXJFnw6xrwxh7ZdVakHVAKqbDECHpCxS1Aw5LB5CRjEGJylcwbkNMg6QQqGMrYoynMiEAp8iXhUmq85KJZfsK-4aplxue4hhjEosqIgO2IHeWsrddO4AKpnniUEUiKUI~UFh8LDE8Fw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","University and industry witnesses told the House Science Subcommittee that workforce shortages for technical and manufacturing roles threaten fusion commercialization timelines. \"The challenge is not simply producing more PhDs, but building a robust skilled trades workforce,\" said Chairman Weber in his opening. Dr. Stephanie Diem, assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, described her lab's difficulty filling technician positions and recommended expanding apprenticeship programs that partner universities, community colleges and national labs. \"Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory started an apprenticeship program with a community college where the only requirements were being 18 and having a high school diploma or GED,\" Diem said, calling it a model to scale regionally.

Industry witnesses supported that view. Will Regan urged broader training for mechanical and electrical technicians, welders and other trades, and praised a recently introduced workforce bill: \"We need to grow our workforce, not just fusion scientists, but mechanical and electrical engineers, technicians, welders, and many others.\"

On regional hubs: witnesses proposed regional, federally supported hubs — likened to hydrogen or CHIPS tech hubs — that would concentrate manufacturing, test stands and workforce training. Diem and Troy Carter said hubs could coordinate community colleges, universities, national labs and industry to build supply chains and training pipelines. Carter described university‑lab partnerships and recommended faculty engagement and internships as keys to durable relationships.

No legislative action was taken at the hearing; members expressed bipartisan interest in workforce measures and existing bills were cited as starting points.","University, national‑lab and company witnesses said workforce shortages — not just PhDs — are a bottleneck for fusion commercialization and urged apprenticeships, community college partnerships and regional hubs to scale skilled trades and manufacturing capacity.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},5978208,"Witnesses press for new materials and test facilities to derisk path to fusion pilot plants",54,2466000,2520000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5796947-1a1870dca93d70f643f844204b7d9189&start=2466&end=2520","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5796947-1a1870dca93d70f643f844204b7d9189/thumbnail_2466000.jpg","/articles/5978208/Witnesses-press-for-new-materials-and-test-facilities-to-derisk-path-to-fusion-pilot-plants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978208-43da7ca5bb5d730ddeb6f874db3c8aa7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770515338&Signature=kgMHqLjidXsY9rHfs-eBXbRJN8jgydnJKoLpLCiknCc3~cJbtLwosYA~SBdZOjfn188ldVv4R5635Izw0meOATiqGlW-DDGxVz-0Ys1G3nDJ6Rti0LWsz4pMlxfEETerOEk0ZuScfBqQfWCChfsfQktBvBM38nKei-oI7caRE0q6X-QsXVmmGpkrBByyH6zLRKf04L5dR~LAKfcsCutvU-a~OBIgG6Sx~9miExDyGoPGi~b1nv5A7Rxn5Kohmfriay3uFOYM5fHqVyTV4313BySc~q9aLwRCe1qtYyBG9rlLz63YhzUgaDeL6ClEHf3OC8OyowFAtiQpn5duutpvVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Scientists and national‑lab officials told the House Science Subcommittee that specific, purpose‑built facilities are a prerequisite to move fusion from pilot prototypes to reliable power plants. \"We need new facilities,\" said Troy Carter, director of the Fusion Energy Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Carter described facilities called out in community roadmaps — a fusion prototypic neutron source, a materials plasma exposure experiment, and a blanket/fuel‑cycle facility — as essential to qualify materials and close engineering gaps.

Carter said those facilities are being built abroad and emphasized urgency: \"We see them happening and more. Okay? So we need to act quickly.\" Bob Mumgaard and other industry witnesses echoed the request, arguing that test stands would enable industry and labs to mature designs for reactor components such as blankets that breed tritium and structural materials that withstand high neutron flux. Mumgaard said applied R&D at national labs would complement private company development: \"There's still science and technology to be done, and that's where the crown jewels really, really excel.\"

Why it matters: witnesses described several technology gaps that are not product‑ready, including materials resilience under intense neutron flux, fuel‑cycle closure and tritium handling, and divertor/exhaust solutions to handle reactor heat loads. Participants said these cannot be fully addressed on current research devices and that dedicated test stands would speed qualification and reduce commercial risk.

Policy context: witnesses pointed to DOE planning documents, FESAC/PSAC long‑range plans and community roadmaps that recommend facility investments as part of the path to a pilot plant. They suggested a combined federal approach of demonstration funding plus targeted capital investments in test stands and user facilities at national labs and partner universities. No formal funding decision was issued at the hearing.","National‑lab and academic witnesses told the subcommittee that specialized test stands — including a prototypic neutron source, materials exposure facilities, and blanket/fuel‑cycle testbeds — are needed to qualify components and close scientific gaps before commercial fusion plants can be built.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},5978212,"Industry leaders urge $10 billion federal push to build U.S. fusion demonstration plants",1199,1621000,2820000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5796947-1a1870dca93d70f643f844204b7d9189&start=1621&end=2820","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5796947-1a1870dca93d70f643f844204b7d9189/thumbnail_1621000.jpg","/articles/5978212/Industry-leaders-urge-10-billion-federal-push-to-build-US-fusion-demonstration-plants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5978212-140b5aafeb652fa5b7441b646af33627/orig.mp4?Expires=1770515338&Signature=iH8pd1GIaAdW~8M58uvoO~mvyzMESICG47D94FbMPPtDEmVC35Lv1hrgO~LuOwwmwPQsue1kgJyzTrLWcJXniSTQX~AhGlevNW09yxIcxmSK2heMBSIz3IqBCXaTN5-05i5rsA1wUmebYwgj4wdIZCWJJCUY4cHGyTYYXaJx5qVsR0OBA1gM~GhLfohvWFFCFHvVTZfmsmM~eCD8fbfzTSsO0HHsLgWK9ZZrvuHnhLrCjeGLlCWcSbNQBdLcnV4DzyGdloiKq4o4Aw59TE7DQpS22N9DogCWc~gh7s6j0Q3dK55DTRsU-tLZQ6Ht6J5z5TrZhcO0RNhYsPYROb4V5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a House Science Subcommittee on Energy hearing, fusion industry leaders and national lab officials onlined a shared request: Congress should fund a large, accelerated federal program to move fusion from laboratory demonstrations to ground‑breaking commercial plants. \"The US is not positioned to win. China is,\" said Bob Mumgaard, cofounder and CEO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems. \"We're at serious risk of falling behind unless it takes urgent action and soon.\"

The request centered on a one‑time federal investment of roughly $10 billion to fund milestone‑based public‑private programs and to finance prototype or demonstration fusion plants. \"We are calling the US government to do a one time $10,000,000,000 investment in fusion research and demonstration,\" Mumgaard told the subcommittee. Will Regan, president and cofounder of Pacific Fusion, urged Congress to accelerate construction timelines and said, \"America needs to build fusion power plants before China with shovels in the ground as early as 2028.\"

Why it matters: witnesses said a scaled, milestone‑based program would reduce risk, attract private capital, and create the industrial activity and supply chains required to deploy pilot plants. Mumgaard and others said China has been rapidly building facilities and investing at scale, and that a matched U.S. commitment would protect industrial leadership and standards. \"If we spend that money now, we won't have to spend 10x of that money later to catch up,\" Mumgaard said.

Supporting details: witnesses pointed to existing DOE tools and pilots — the DOE milestone program, INFUSE public‑private partnerships, and ARPA‑E awards — as models that could be expanded under a larger demonstration program. Mumgaard suggested that funds be used both to scale the DOE milestone program so winning companies can reach construction readiness and to fund direct construction of a small number of first‑of‑a‑kind plants. Troy Carter, director of the Fusion Energy Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, said new national facilities and test stands outlined in community roadmaps (materials test stands, blanket and fuel‑cycle facilities) are a necessary complement to a demonstration program.

Discussion, not decision: the hearing recorded advocacy and technical detail but no formal congressional vote or directive. Committee members asked how a $10 billion injection would be allocated and how it would interact with annual appropriations; witnesses described priority areas (demonstration projects, materials and test stands, workforce programs) but did not present a formal appropriation bill under committee consideration.

Context and next steps: witnesses urged Congress to pair a demonstration investment with applied R&D at national labs and universities and with supply‑chain and workforce programs to convert pilot projects into enduring industry capacity. Several members signaled bipartisan interest; witnesses said that a milestone‑based, accountable program modeled on other successful public‑private partnerships could accelerate U.S. deployment while leveraging private capital. No formal action was taken at the hearing.","Witnesses at a House Science Subcommittee hearing urged Congress to fund a one‑time, large federal investment to accelerate commercialization of fusion power, citing rapid private investment, U.S. national security concerns, and Chinese facility build‑outs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Panel details tritium safety practices and says public engagement is key to siting fusion facilities

Witnesses press for apprenticeships, community college partnerships and regional fusion hubs

Witnesses press for new materials and test facilities to derisk path to fusion pilot plants

Industry leaders urge $10 billion federal push to build U.S. fusion demonstration plants