Realta Fusion secures HTS magnet supply

Last Thursday, Realta Fusion and Commonwealth Fusion Systems formalized a multiyear relationship with the announcement of a strategic partnership centered on CFS's high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets.

Realta uses a magnetic mirror fusion approach to plasma confinement, with a focus on compact, modular fusion energy generators. The company has plans to design and deliver a fusion pilot plant by the mid-2030s. According to the announcement, CFS will develop magnets for both Realta's prototypes and its planned plant. Through the partnership, CFS will provide its expertise to support the design, manufacturing, deployment, and operation of HTS magnets for Realta's magnetic mirror fusion systems.

Magnetic mirror milestones: In July 2024, Realta announced that it had successfully used superconducting magnets supplied by CFS to hold a plasma with a magnetic field strength of 17 Tesla, the highest steady magnetic field ever reached in a fusion plasma experiment, at WHAM-the University of Wisconsin-Madison HTS Axisymmetric Mirror project, of which the company is a spinoff. Realta was one of eight awardees in the DOE Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program.

Selling expertise: CFS is currently constructing its SPARC facility, a demonstration-scale stepping stone as it plans its fusion power plant called ARC. The company has secured a site for ARC in Chesterfield County, Va. It aims to break ground in 2028 and begin operation in the early 2030s.

Realta is not the only fusion company to have reached a partnership with CFS for access to HTS fusion magnet expertise. In 2025, CFS signed an agreement with Type One Energy giving that company an exclusive license to use its HTS cable technology.

According to last week's announcement, the partnership with Realta has the potential to reach a multi-billion-dollar value.

Securing the supply chain: "Commercializing magnetic mirror fusion systems requires integrating multiple cutting-edge technologies," said Kieran Furlong, CEO of Realta Fusion. "By working with the world's leading HTS magnet manufacturer, we are significantly de-risking one of the most critical of these technologies. Knowing that we can get the magnets we need, when we need them, from the best developed supply chain, is a huge leap forward for Realta."

Moving toward commercial fusion: "As the world leader in HTS magnet technology development and manufacturing, we are pleased to share our expertise with Realta and give our growing industry another promising technological opportunity to bring fusion energy to the grid," said Bob Mumgaard, CEO and cofounder of CFS. "This partnership allows Realta to tap into the world-class supply chain we built to support our advanced manufacturing capabilities, and that will help it to bring commercial fusion energy to the grid faster."