A Northern California-based company that is attempting to develop affordable fusion energy alternatives has selected a site in Albuquerque for its first research and manufacturing campus, a $1 billion project that is expected to employ more than 200 people.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, company officials, state lawmakers and the leaders of the two national laboratories located in New Mexico announced the Pacific Fusion project Friday in Albuquerque.
Work on the facility will begin in 2026, according to a news release from the New Mexico Economic Development Department. It will be located in the Mesa del Sol mixed-use planned development in the city’s southeast quadrant.
The facility will house Pacific Fusion’s demonstration system, according to the release, which is designed to achieve net facility gain, which is the process of generating more energy from a fusion reaction than the amount of energy required to power it.
Fusion — the process by which the sun and stars are powered — is the fusing of two atoms to form a heavier atom. It generates enormous amounts of energy without the carbon byproducts associated with fossil fuels or the radioactive waste that goes along with nuclear fission, or the splitting of atoms.
Proponents of the commercial use of fusion, which thus far has proven an elusive target despite decades of research, argue it will provide an almost-unlimited supply of clean power.
“This is the platform for energy the world is waiting for,” Lujan Grisham said, claiming New Mexico is leading the world in developing problem-solving technologies.
The governor said Pacific Fusion’s decision to open shop in New Mexico will create good jobs in the state, expand its clean-tech economy and ensure it remains a leader in industries of the future.
Lujan Grisham said New Mexico’s emphasis on attracting advanced energy firms in recent years represents the maturing of its economic development efforts. She likened the state’s move in that direction to “getting through puberty.”
“It’s the best way I can describe it,” she said.
A defining moment
Keller said Friday’s announcement represents a turning point for his city, serving as proof Albuquerque is not only on the map, but that it can define the next chapter of clean-energy innovation.
Pacific Fusion, based in Fremont, Calif., is pursuing a pulse magnetic path toward inertial fusion. According to the company’s website, that process involves the use of fast-rising, high-current pulses to magnetically squeeze and heat small containers of deuterium-tritium fuel, driving the fuel to fusion conditions.
Company officials say that approach provides them with a clear path to low-cost energy production on a global scale.
Laura McGill, director of Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, expressed support for that approach in her remarks Friday, adding Sandia has nearly 50 years of experience developing pulse power at its large-scale facility.
Laura McGill
Laura McGill
She said Pacific Fusion’s work would help move everyone involved in that research toward their common goal of “proving pulse power technology can deliver the breakthrough needed for fusion.”
The proximity of Sandia and Los Alamos national laboratories, where fusion has been researched for decades, contributed to Pacific Fusion choosing the Albuquerque location, said Keith LeChien, a co-founder and the company’s chief technology officer.
“It’s a big moment in our company’s history,” he said.
Charlie Nakhleh, associate director for weapons physics at Los Alamos lab, said he knows many of the researchers who work for Pacific Fusion and practically gushed over their brilliance.
“I want to tell you, this is some of the best talent this nation has to offer,” he said.
He said the presence of Pacific Fusion would lift Albuquerque’s profile significantly in scientific circles.
“That is going make Albuquerque a rockin’ and rollin’ place to be,” he said.
According to the Economic Development Department, the Pacific Fusion operation in Albuquerque will focus exclusively on research and manufacturing, rather than power generation. The facility is being designed to operate safely and without disruption to the surrounding area, the release states.
In a statement, U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján welcomed the announcement.
“This facility will cement Albuquerque at the forefront of clean energy innovation, create hundreds of jobs, and drive long-term economic growth for our state,” said Heinrich, founder of the Senate Fusion Caucus. “Fusion energy has the potential to deliver abundant, affordable, carbon-free power, and New Mexico will now play a central role in making that future a reality.”
“Their technology is built off innovations from Sandia Labs and will continue to advance our state’s leadership in clean energy,” Luján said.