Knoxville company's Oak Ridge nuclear reactor will be used at UK plant
Knoxville company’s Oak Ridge nuclear reactor will be used at UK plant
Knoxville’s Type One Energy on science of nuclear fusion power plant
John Canik, chief science and engineering officer at Type One Energy, talks Knoxville and nuclear fusion plant design on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
Plans for a Bill Gates-backed and Oak Ridge-based nuclear reactor will be used to build what supporters hope is the first privately led fusion plant in the United Kingdom.
Knoxville company Type One Energy is using the Tennessee Valley Authority’s former Bull Run Fossil Plant as a testbed for its fusion power plant design, and has received support from Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund. This month, Type One launched a consortium with U.S. infrastructure consulting firm AECOM and English fusion company Tokamak Energy aimed at building the U.K.’s first private fusion plant.
Fission technology powers every nuclear plant in the world. There’s never been an operational fusion plant, but papers published by Type One in 2025 say no scientific barriers exist to the company’s plans.
Both the U.S. and U.K. governments hope to see fusion made commercially viable amid a rising demand for energy.
Type One will lend to the project its Infinity Two stellarator fusion plant design, which the three-company Infinity Fusion Consortium will use as a model, Type One spokesperson Tom Frey told Knox News. AECOM will provide engineering capabilities, according to a Type One press release, while Tokamak will add its magnet tech and manufacturing expertise.
“By aligning fusion technology, advanced manufacturing, and power plant engineering,” Type One CEO Chris Mowry said in the release, “we are closing the gap between today’s energy innovation and tomorrow’s energy infrastructure.”
The international project comes as Type One builds on partnerships with organizations such as TVA, Commonwealth Fusion and Pine Island New Energy Partners. Type One is one of many companies hoping to play a major role in East Tennessee’s nuclear boom, but unlike most others is betting on fusion to power the future.
Type One submitted an early-stage licensing application for its Oak Ridge work in early 2026.
Mariah Franklin reports on technology and energy for Knox News. Email: mariah.franklin@knoxnews.com. Signal: mariahfranklin.01