General Atomics announced today a $20 million, ten-year strategic investment in Fusion Fuel Cycles, Inc. (FFC), a Canadian joint venture between Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and Kyoto Fusioneering. This landmark collaboration will accelerate the development of UNITY-2, a cutting-edge tritium fuel cycle test facility poised to play a pivotal role in clearing the path towards commercializing fusion energy.
Scheduled to be operational by mid-2026, UNITY-2—based at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) in Ontario—will become the world’s first fully integrated facility designed to test the deuterium-tritium (D-T) fuel cycle, a critical element for a practical fusion power plant.
Fusion, the same process that powers the sun, is widely considered a potential source of nearly limitless sustainable energy. Experts agree that a commercial D-T fusion power plant must successfully integrate four essential systems: a plasma confinement system (such as a tokamak or stellarator); a blanket system that absorbs energy from fusion reactions while producing heat and fuel; a fuel cycle system to recover and recycle tritium; and a system to convert heat into electricity.
“Advancing innovation in clean energy technology is a key priority for the Government of Canada. This investment by General Atomics in Fusion Fuel Cycles Inc, made through the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy, will support the development of fusion energy, strengthen Canada’s competitive advantage in the green economy of the future, and create high-value jobs and economic benefits across the country,” said the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry, who is the Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.
UNITY-2 aims to tackle the complexities of the fuel cycle system by simulating the entire D-T fuel sequence—from discharge to purification and resupply. As part of the collaboration, General Atomics will leverage the facility’s advanced infrastructure to further its R&D on fusion components, while supporting the Canadian team in identifying the safest and most effective methods for handling, storing, and managing tritium. This vital work will also help lay the foundation for developing other critical fusion systems, such as a blanket component test facility to evaluate scaled prototypes of that technology.
“Our collaboration with FFC is a pivotal step toward realizing the full potential of fusion energy,” said Anantha Krishnan, senior vice president of the General Atomics Energy Group. “Developing a practical fusion power plant demands that all core systems—including the fuel cycle—operate in concert. This collaboration directly targets one of the toughest challenges and brings us closer to solving the puzzle of integrating a complete, functional fusion system.”
The investment also advances General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI)’s commitments under Canada’s Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy, in support of the Canadian Government’s procurement of MQ-9B SkyGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). The UNITY-2 partnership has received formal endorsement from Canada’s Federal Department for Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED), and is poised to deliver long-term economic benefits to Canada, strengthening its role as a global hub for enabling fusion technologies.
“This partnership delivers mutual benefits,” said Dr. Vivek Lall, Chief Executive of General Atomics Global Corporation. “Both General Atomics and FFC bring extensive expertise in fusion science, and this collaboration strengthens global leadership in tritium processing. GA’s investment also reflects a shared commitment to innovation-driven economic growth between the United States and Canada.”
For decades, General Atomics has led vital developments in fusion research. At its San Diego headquarters, GA scientists and engineers collaborate with teams across the globe to solve the scientific challenges of fusion energy. GA also operates the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, the U.S. Department of Energy’s largest magnetic fusion research facility and the country’s only operational tokamak, where researchers develop critical solutions needed to make commercial fusion power a reality.
GA’s participation in UNITY-2 represents a significant step forward in international collaboration and the creation of infrastructure necessary to support scalable, commercially viable fusion energy.
About General Atomics
Since the dawn of the atomic age, General Atomics innovations have advanced the state of the art across the full spectrum of science and technology – from nuclear energy and defense to medicine and high-performance computing. Behind a talented global team of scientists, engineers, and professionals, GA’s unique experience and capabilities continue to deliver safe, sustainable, economical, and innovative solutions to meet growing global demands.
About GA-ASI
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., is the world’s foremost builder of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Logging more than 8 million flight hours, the Predator® line of UAS has flown for over 30 years and includes MQ-9A Reaper®, MQ-1C Gray Eagle®, MQ-20 Avenger®, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian®/SeaGuardian®. The company is dedicated to providing long-endurance, multi-mission solutions that deliver persistent situational awareness and rapid strike.
For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com.
Avenger, EagleEye, Gray Eagle, Lynx, Predator, Reaper, SeaGuardian, and SkyGuardian are trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., registered in the United States and/or other countries.
About Fusion Fuel Cycles, Inc.
Headquartered in Canada, Fusion Fuel Cycles, Inc. is a joint venture between Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and Kyoto Fusioneering, dedicated to developing advanced tritium processing and fuel cycle technologies essential for future fusion energy systems. FFC is dedicated to solving the most pressing challenges in developing a performance driven fuel cycle that boosts fuel efficiency, cuts tritium inventory, and maximizes heat transfer for power conversion, enabling safe, high-performance, cost effective, fusion energy systems from design to full operation.
For more information, visit https://ffc.inc/
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Contacts
Media Contact:
Andrew James
Communications Lead
General Atomics Energy Group
andrew.james@ga.com