US Realta Fusion and MGE Plan to Jointly Develop 200 MW Fusion Power Plant

Realta Fusion, a company developing magnetic mirror fusion energy technology, announced on September 2 that it has established a strategic partnership with Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) and its parent company MGE Energy, Inc. The two parties will jointly evaluate the feasibility of co-developing a 200 MW electric-class fusion energy power plant in Wisconsin, USA.

Under the collaboration arrangement, the first phase includes a direct equity investment by MGE Energy in Realta Fusion. MGE has also agreed to provide equipment, engineering, and technical support to Realta Fusion, as well as assistance in project siting, permitting, grid interconnection, and financing to advance preliminary work for the proposed 200 MW fusion power project.

Kieran Furlong, CEO of Realta Fusion, stated that exploring the construction of a fusion power plant together with MGE demonstrates that fusion energy is moving toward practical application. He noted that fusion energy has the potential to become an important source for meeting zero-carbon electricity demand, and MGE's participation will support the engineering advancement of the technology.

Jeff Keebler, Chairman, President, and CEO of MGE, stated that achieving net-zero carbon emissions requires innovation, collaboration, and continued exploration of emerging technologies. Realta Fusion is developing fusion technology in Madison, and this partnership reflects MGE's willingness to evaluate emerging carbon-free energy technologies that could one day provide reliable, around-the-clock carbon-free electricity to customers and communities.

The collaboration also builds on prior connections between the two parties. Realta Fusion recently announced plans to lease approximately 250,000 square feet of office and industrial space to build its research and development center, Realta Forge. The center is located within MGE's service territory at OM Station, the former site of the Oscar Mayer plant and headquarters.

MGE has identified reducing carbon emissions as one of its core goals. In 2019, MGE became one of the first utilities in the US to commit to achieving net-zero carbon electricity by 2050. The company states that continued investment in carbon-free generation is part of its energy strategy, with the goal of ensuring a secure, reliable, affordable, and sustainable future energy supply.

Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, Realta Fusion is developing the CoSMo fusion energy system, a compact, scalable, modular system based on the magnetic mirror fusion concept. Supported by Khosla Ventures and Future Ventures, the company is one of the selected participants in the US Department of Energy's "Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program" and has been named a 2026 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum. Realta Fusion also operates the Wisconsin HTS Axisymmetric Mirror (WHAM) fusion device at the Physical Sciences Laboratory of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

MGE generates and distributes electricity to approximately 170,000 customers in Dane County, Wisconsin, and purchases and supplies natural gas to approximately 180,000 customers across seven counties in south-central and western Wisconsin. Its parent company, MGE Energy, has operated in the Madison area for more than 150 years.