Compact Fusion Reactor NuCell Completes 72-Hour Full-Power Test: Distributed Fusion Power Leaves the Lab
UK fusion energy company Tokamak Energy has successfully completed a 72-hour continuous full-power test of its compact spherical tokamak NuCell, producing 50MW thermal output with a Q factor of 8.5.
Compact Fusion Reactor NuCell Completes 72-Hour Full-Power Test
On February 15, 2028, UK fusion energy company Tokamak Energy announced that its compact spherical tokamak NuCell successfully completed a 72-hour continuous full-power test at its Oxfordshire facility. NuCell produced 50MW of thermal power with an energy gain factor Q of 8.5 (output energy is 8.5x input energy).
"72 hours of continuous operation proves NuCell isn't a laboratory toy — it's a device that can actually deliver power," said Tokamak Energy CEO Chris Martin. "Our target is the first commercial fusion power station by 2032."
NuCell uses high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets and measures only 4 meters in diameter — far smaller than ITER's 30-meter-class design. This enables deployment near industrial facilities or data centers for distributed fusion power.
However, 50MW is thermal output, converting to approximately 20MW of electrical power. The Q factor of 8.5, while far exceeding ITER's target (Q=10 for scientific viability), falls below the Q>30 typically required for commercial fusion plants.
The UK government has announced plans to include nuclear fusion in its Green Taxonomy, providing policy support for fusion energy project financing.
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