In 2024, the Legislature asked us to study fusion technology to identify and evaluate the current laws and rules that define the permitting, siting, licensing, and registration processes of energy facilities and whether they are adequate to support future fusion energy facilities.
Study background
In 2024, the Legislature passed a bill aimed at promoting fusion technology as part of Washington's clean energy policies. That bill created a work group to explore new and existing processes for siting and permitting nuclear fusion facilities.
Report findings
The report identifies that:
- As of 2024, state law didn't distinguish between nuclear fusion and nuclear fission.
- As written, existing state law required developers to use our agency's process for siting and permitting a fusion energy facility.
- There was a desire for flexibility in the regulatory process, allowing fusion companies to choose among several pathways (i.e., local government, EFSEC, or the Ecology-led coordinated permitting pathway) for siting and permitting an eventual fusion energy facility.
Participants
We co-led the work group and prepared this report together with the state's Department of Health. Other agencies that contributed to the work included:
- Washington State Department of Commerce
- Washington State Department of Ecology
- Washington State Department of Labor & Industries
- Washington's Military Department
- Governor's Office
The work group also consulted with industry leaders working on fusion technology in the state, visiting several of their facilities.