Fusion Fuel Cycles (FFC), a joint venture between Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and Kyoto Fusioneering, has announced a significant development in fusion technology. The company recently reached an agreement with General Atomics (GA) to secure a $20 million, ten-year strategic investment into the UNITY-2 project. This collaboration brings together two leading organizations in the field of fusion energy, aiming to accelerate the deployment of FFC’s flagship initiative, the Unique Integrated Testing Facility (UNITY-2). Once operational, UNITY-2 will be the world’s first fully integrated fusion fuel cycle facility.
The fuel cycle is a vital component of potential commercial fusion power plants. It involves breeding, capturing, extracting, and recycling tritium—the essential fuel for sustaining fusion reactions. Achieving a reliable and efficient fuel cycle is crucial for realizing the promise of fusion energy, which offers limitless and clean energy. FFC’s mission is to bridge existing technological gaps in this area, and the UNITY-2 system is central to this goal. The facility will serve as a testing ground for industry participants to evaluate their components and technologies, enabling them to progress their systems toward commercial readiness.
The investment from GA will enable the company further to develop its fusion components within the UNITY-2 facility, fostering innovation and collaboration within the industry. This international partnership was facilitated by the Canadian Government’s Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy, supporting the procurement of MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.
GA has a prominent history in fusion research, operating the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, which is managed by the U.S. Department of Energy and is one of the most extensive magnetic fusion research facilities in the U.S. Although FFC was founded in 2024, it builds on decades of expertise in tritium handling from Canada’s national lab, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, alongside a team of top fusion specialists from Kyoto Fusioneering, working toward a future of sustainable fusion energy.
KEY QUOTES:
“This investment by GA illustrates the value that UNITY-2 can bring to fusion technology companies: Only real-world testing in representative fusion conditions can truly de-risk fuel cycle components. Anyone serious about achieving commercial fusion in the next few decades recognizes the importance of having facilities like UNITY-2 to go beyond modeling and paper studies and determine actual performance.”
Yuhei Nozoe – Co-CEO of FFC
“We sincerely appreciate that the Federal Agency for Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) has recognized the long-term economic and technological benefits that FFC will bring to the people of Canada. This project is a perfect example of the ITB Policy helping to foster international collaboration for the benefit of Canada, and we look forward to delivering the UNITY-2 system to serve as a hub of Canada’s, and the world’s, fusion technology development efforts.”
Dr. Ian Castillo – Co-CEO of FFC
“This collaboration really is a win-win. The capabilities of FFC and General Atomics mesh very well and we are confident that our mutual passion for innovation, clean energy technology, and achieving the promises that fusion holds will result in many substantial advancements for our organizations, and for Canada and the United States over the coming decade.”
Dr. Vivek Lall, Chief Executive of General Atomics Global Corporation
