Fusion energy developer TAE signs helium-3 future fuel supply option agreement

TAE, which counts Alphabet's Google and Chevron among its backers, has raised more than $1 billion. It is preparing to build its first fusion power plant, Da Vinci, which it expects will generate 50 megawatts of electricity, with site selection planned later this year and operations expected to begin in 2031.

Future power plants are expected to be designed for output of 350 megawatts to 500 megawatts, the company said.

The agreement includes collaboration on commercial development, the companies said.

TAE Chief Executive Michl Binderbauer said the agreement could provide an alternative fuel supply option as the company moves toward commercial power generation.

Aug. 5 (Reuters) - Fusion energy developer TAE Technologies, which has agreed to be acquired by Trump Media & Technology Group, said on Wednesday it had signed an agreement with privately held Black Moon Energy that could provide a future helium-3 fuel supply option for its planned power plants.

The nuclear fusion industry has yet to bridge the gap between experimental reactors and commercial power plants, with developers still working to prove reactor performance, attract capital and secure long-term fuel supplies.

Trump Media agreed in December to acquire TAE in an all-stock deal valued at more than $6 billion that would create a publicly traded fusion-energy company.

The companies planned and later abandoned plans in June to spin off Trump Media's legacy social media business, including Truth Social and other media assets, into a separately listed entity.

The Foothill Ranch, California-based company expects to file merger-related documents with U.S. regulators and complete the transaction before the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.