Bill > SB80

This bill establishes the Fusion Research and Development Innovation Hub Program within California's Energy Commission to accelerate fusion energy development with the goal of creating the world's first fusion energy pilot plant by the 2040s. The program will designate three regional innovation hubs in southern California, the central valley, and the San Francisco Bay area, focusing on advancing fusion science and technology. These hubs will bring together national laboratories, academic institutions, government agencies, and private sector entities to support research, technology development, and workforce training in fusion energy. The bill recognizes California's significant role in the fusion energy ecosystem, noting the state hosts one-third of U.S. fusion energy startup companies and supports over 20,000 jobs in related fields. A new Fusion Research and Development Fund will be created in the State Treasury to provide grants to these hubs, with the aim of supporting diverse fusion energy approaches, including magnetic and inertial confinement technologies. The program seeks to develop workforce skills, create employment opportunities, and contribute to California's broader climate goals of achieving zero-carbon energy resources. The implementation of the program is contingent upon legislative appropriation, and the Energy Commission will oversee hub coordination and grant allocation in consultation with the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development and the University of California.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB80