Kaptur Applauds National Laboratory’s Success in Achieving Fusion IgnitionPress ReleaseJobs and the EconomyEnergy

Washington, D.C.- Today, Representative Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) - Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development - released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Energy's announcement that Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has achieved fusion ignition.

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announcedthat the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, California, has achieved fusion ignition - a major scientific breakthrough that paves the way for advancements in national defense and sets the stage for a new, safe, and carbon-free energy source.

On December 5, LLNL conducted the first experiment in history to achieve net energy gain through fusion - meaning that more energy was produced from the fusion process than was used as an input in the experiment.

As Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, Rep. Kaptur oversees federal investments in the Department of Energy and its programs and activities, including NNSA's $20.7 billion budget in Fiscal Year 2022.

"America's National Laboratories are demonstrating in a remarkable way the possibilities that can be unleashed when we are laser-focused on an all-of-the-above energy strategy," said Rep. Kaptur. "With ongoing support from the public and private sectors, the potential for fusion to serve as a reliable source of energy - and a catalyst for new, good-paying energy jobs - is limitless. Advancing the science and application of new clean energy sources is in the interest of the United States and the world at large. Thanks to the painstaking efforts of the Department of Energy and American scientists, we are one step closer to reaping the benefits of a better energy future."

More information on the Department of Energy's announcement on achieving fusion ignition can be found here.

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For more information, contact Chris Dalton at [email protected].