ICYMI: Bipartisan Fusion Energy Bill Led by Senator Murray, Colleagues Passes Senate, Heads to President Biden’s Desk
***PHOTOS AND B-ROLL HERE***
Everett, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, visited Helion Energy’s cutting-edge fusion energy research and manufacturing facility in Everett. Murray toured the Helion facilities and met with staff to discuss their groundbreaking work to harness fusion technology as a source of clean electricity. Murray discussed the transformative possibilities of fusion energy and talked about the Fusion Energy Act, legislation she was a lead sponsor of, which will help support the development of commercial fusion facilities and was signed into law by President Biden earlier this month. Murray also discussed the billions she secured to propel clean energy solutions in this year’s spending package.
Fusion energy—energy that is made by slamming together small atoms under high pressure—has the potential to produce abundant clean electricity without harmful side effects like carbon emissions or long-lived radioactive waste. Fusion energy commercialization has the potential to be a key component of the United States’ efforts to fully decarbonize the grid by 2050.
“Transitioning to a clean energy economy has to be a top priority as we adapt to climate change, and fusion energy has the potential to play a huge, transformative role,” said Senator Murray. “Today’s visit made it clear that Helion, and the Pacific Northwest, will continue to be a leader in this cutting-edge technology and in clean energy research. I’m proud to have secured billions for clean energy in this year’s budget, and will continue to work to build on those investments.”
“Senator Patty Murray has consistently championed innovative energy technologies, playing a key role in the passage of the recently enacted ADVANCE Act,” said David Kirtley, Founder & CEO of Helion Energy. “Her leadership and commitment to renewable energy has set the stage for clean, abundant fusion power to combat climate change. We are grateful to Senator Murray for visiting, and for her continued dedication to making an impact on the fusion industry.”
Washington state—and the Northwest region, more broadly—has fast become a global leader in the race to produce fusion energy. In March, Governor Inslee signed legislation establishing fusion power as a source of clean energy that could help Washington state meet its climate goals and requiring the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council and the Department of Health to form a work group of relevant state agencies to begin exploring pathways for permitting, siting, and licensing fusion energy plants. In December 2022, fusion ignition was achieved for the first time ever—meaning more energy was released than was needed for the reaction—a significant breakthrough for fusion energy.
On July 9, President Biden signed into law Senator Murray’s Fusion Energy Act, which streamlines the creation of clear federal regulations to support the development of commercial fusion facilities by codifying the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) regulatory framework for fusion energy systems under the NRC’s byproduct materials process.
Murray has long been a champion of clean energy solutions. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she secured $8.24 billion in new funding—$140 million over fiscal year 2023—for the Office of Science, the largest federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences and supports 22,000 researchers at 17 national laboratories and more than 300 universities, which includes PNNL and multiple universities in Washington state.
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