KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Tennessee will soon be the first state with regulations on nuclear fusion machines as an Oak Ridge company continues to pursue the technology.
Most nuclear plants use fission — the splitting of large atoms to release energy. But scientists and companies have long sought a way to harness the opposite power: fusion — combining smaller atoms into larger ones to release energy.
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One such company — Type One Energy — is using the former Bull Run Fossil Plant as a homepage for its nuclear fusion prototype called Infinity One. It hopes to use it to evaluate how materials react under extreme conditions within a fusion device.
On June 9, Tennessee plans to update its rules and regulations, establishing licensing for fusion machines. The state said it expects Type One Energy’s Oak Ridge site to be one of the first to get a license under the new framework…