Russia's Rosatom races to unlock fusion power with bold TRT reactor project

Russia's state nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom, is pushing ahead with plans to develop fusion power. CEO Alexey Likhachev has called it the most important scientific and technological challenge of the 21st century. He insists that success will require collaboration between major research institutions and industry leaders.

The centrepiece of Rosatom's strategy is the TRT initiative—a project focused on building a tokamak-based reactor facility. Technical documents for the scheme are now under review, with funding already secured for research and development. Likhachev stressed the importance of defining clear stages for the project's rollout.

Fusion research has gained momentum in recent years. In 2022, experiments achieved net energy gain for the first time, marking a historic breakthrough. Germany has also become a hub for fusion innovation, with the Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics running two experimental reactors in Garching and Greifswald. Four German startups—Proxima Fusion, Marvel Fusion, Gauss Fusion, and Focused Energy—are exploring laser fusion, backed by two billion euros in federal funding. Likhachev acknowledges the immense difficulty of generating electricity from fusion within the next decade. Yet he remains optimistic, describing the task as both daunting and deeply motivating.

The TRT facility represents a key step in Russia's fusion ambitions. With funding in place and technical plans under assessment, the project will rely on coordinated efforts from Rosatom, the Kurchatov Institute, and the Russian Academy of Sciences. If successful, it could bring the world closer to a sustainable and near-limitless energy source.