The world's first grid-scale commercial fusion power plant could be coming to Chesterfield County.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems will build, own, and operate the plant. The Massachusetts-based fusion power startup is one of several companies eyeing the potential of fusion power.

The announcement

Gov. Glenn Youngkin, county officials, and representatives from Commonwealth Fusion Systems announced the multi-billion dollar project on Tuesday, Dec. 17.

Bob Mumgaard, CEO and co-founder of CFS, said the company conducted a global search for the site of its first plant. He referenced the opportunity to bring clean energy and jobs to a growing market as factors in the decision to choose Chesterfield.

CFS plans to build its ARC fusion power plant at the James River Industrial Center. It will lease the land from Dominion Energy. Dominion will also collaborate with CFS, although it hasn't announced plans to invest in the plant or buy its electricity.

Youngkin called the announcement "a historic moment for Virginia and the world at large."

The technology

The ARC power plant uses a nuclear fusion reaction to generate heat, which is then converted to electricity. In theory, such a plant would offer scalable energy without emissions or long-term nuclear waste.

A fusion power plant has never been connected to a commercial power grid. In a welcome video, Mumgaard said that the project will give CFS and Dominion a template for how fusion power plants could operate in the future.

CFS is in the midst of developing a pilot machine, called SPARC, at its Massachusetts facility. SPARC intends to prove the commercial viability of net fusion energy, leading to its application with the ARC plant in Chesterfield.

When complete, ARC is intended to generate around 400 megawatts of energy, which could power ~150,000 homes.

If successful, the ARC plant would begin delivering power to the grid in fewer than 10 years.