1946–2026

What set the record, and when.

49 moments from 1946–2026, ahead of 338 dated events. A figure is large when it was the highest of its kind at the time, or when it is achieved. First plasmas, the earliest criticality on record, power-reactor criticality and licensing decisions are here too.

Peak stays apart from sustained. A superseded result keeps the date it was the high. A disputed figure is not treated as one. Power reactors have their own chronology, the commercial fission timeline.

Moments: 49
With a record: 23
Still standing: 7

1946

25 December 1946

F-1

National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute

Earliest first criticality on record.

1969

T-3

2 × 10¹⁶

m⁻³·keV·s

nTτ

Highest fusion triple product then on record.

claimed

0.3

keV

Ion temperature · peak

Highest peak ion temperature then on record.

claimed

0.003

Energy confinement time (τ_E)

Highest energy confinement time then on record.

claimed

1972

ST

2.4 × 10¹⁷

m⁻³·keV·s

nTτ

Highest fusion triple product then on record.

claimed

0.4

keV

Ion temperature · peak

Highest peak ion temperature then on record.

claimed

0.01

Energy confinement time (τ_E)

Highest energy confinement time then on record.

claimed

1976

22149-231

PLT

3.2 × 10¹⁸

m⁻³·keV·s

nTτ

Highest fusion triple product then on record.

claimed

1.54

keV

Ion temperature · peak

Highest peak ion temperature then on record.

claimed

0.04

Energy confinement time (τ_E)

Highest energy confinement time then on record.

claimed

1978

Alcator A

MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center

2.4 × 10¹⁹

m⁻³·keV·s

nTτ

Highest fusion triple product then on record.

claimed

1982

Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

Built / entered operation.

1983

Joint European Torus

UK Atomic Energy Authority

Built / entered operation.

1984

Alcator C

MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center

1.2 × 10²⁰

m⁻³·keV·s

nTτ

Highest fusion triple product then on record.

claimed

0.052

Energy confinement time (τ_E)

Highest energy confinement time then on record.

claimed

1988

23349-57

ASDEX

0.12

Energy confinement time (τ_E)

Highest energy confinement time then on record.

claimed

1991

2 November 1991 · 26087

Joint European Torus

UK Atomic Energy Authority

0.8

Energy confinement time (τ_E)

Highest energy confinement time on record.

claimed

6.1 × 10²⁰

m⁻³·keV·s

nTτ

Highest fusion triple product then on record.

claimed

18.6

keV

Ion temperature · peak

Highest peak ion temperature then on record.

claimed

1994

27 May 1994 · 76778

Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

0.28

Q_plasma

Highest plasma gain then on record.

claimed

1995

OMEGA

University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics

Built / entered operation.

17 February 1995 · 83546

Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

7.9 × 10²⁰

m⁻³·keV·s

nTτ

Highest fusion triple product on record.

claimed

keV

Ion temperature · peak

Highest peak ion temperature dated on record.

claimed

1997

31 October 1997 · 42976

Joint European Torus

UK Atomic Energy Authority

0.63

Q_plasma

Highest plasma gain on record.

claimed

2001

E39713

JT-60U

JAEA

Achieved.

3.1 × 10²⁰

m⁻³·keV·s

nTτ

achieved verified

21.5

keV

Ion temperature · peak

achieved verified

0.344

Energy confinement time (τ_E)

achieved verified

4.2 × 10¹⁹

m⁻³

Plasma density

achieved verified

2009

National Ignition Facility

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Built / entered operation.

2016

WEST

CEA

First plasma.

2020

MAST-U

UK Atomic Energy Authority

First plasma.

11 September 2020 · Design approval or certification

NRC standard design approval for the NuScale US600 design (50 MWe modules)

NuScale Power

achieved

2021

12 September 2021

HTR-PM demonstration plant, Shidao Bay

Earliest power-reactor criticality on record.

21 December 2021 · 99971

Joint European Torus

UK Atomic Energy Authority

0.33

Q_plasma · average

Highest average plasma gain then on record.

claimed verified

Fusion energy yield

Highest fusion energy yield then on record.

superseded verified

2022

10009

ST40

Tokamak Energy

Achieved.

9.6

keV

Ion temperature · peak

achieved verified

6 January 2022 · Application denied

NRC denies Aurora combined licence application

Oklo

achieved

14 April 2022 · 103952

OMEGA

University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics

0.03

Q_target

Highest target gain then on record.

claimed

5 December 2022 · N221204

National Ignition Facility

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

1.5

Q_target

Highest target gain then on record.

achieved verified

3.1

Fusion energy yield

achieved verified

2.05

Laser energy on target

achieved verified

Also on this shot

0.0078

Wall-plug gain

claimed

2023

Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak

Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

403

Plasma duration · sustained

Highest sustained plasma duration then on record.

superseded verified

15 February 2023

Wendelstein 7-X

Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics

480

Plasma duration · sustained

Highest sustained plasma duration then on record.

claimed

21 February 2023 · Design approval or certification

NRC design certification of the NuScale US600 design (10 CFR Part 52, Appendix G)

NuScale Power

achieved

30 July 2023 · N230729

National Ignition Facility

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

1.89

Q_target

Highest target gain then on record.

claimed verified

Also on this shot

3.88

Fusion energy yield

claimed

2.05

Laser energy on target

claimed

3 October 2023 · 104522

Joint European Torus

UK Atomic Energy Authority

0.37

Q_plasma · average

Highest average plasma gain on record.

claimed verified

69.26

Fusion energy yield

Highest fusion energy yield on record.

achieved verified

14 December 2023 · Construction permit issued

NRC construction permit issued for Hermes test reactor

Kairos Power

achieved

2024

January 2024

EXL-50U

ENN Science and Technology Development

First plasma.

February 2024

KSTAR

Korea Institute of Fusion Energy

8.6

keV

Ion temperature · sustained

The only sustained ion temperature dated on record.

claimed verified

12 February 2024 · N240210

National Ignition Facility

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

2.36

Q_target

Highest target gain then on record.

claimed verified

Also on this shot

5.2

Fusion energy yield

claimed

2.2

Laser energy on target

claimed

June 2024

HH70

Energy Singularity

First plasma.

16 September 2024 · Construction permit issued

NRC construction permit CPRR-124 issued for the Molten Salt Research Reactor

Abilene Christian University

achieved

21 November 2024 · Construction permit issued

NRC construction permits issued for Hermes 2 test reactor facility (two units)

Kairos Power

achieved

2025

20 January 2025

Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak

Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

1,066

Plasma duration · sustained

Highest sustained plasma duration then on record.

claimed verified

12 February 2025

WEST

CEA

1,337

Plasma duration · sustained

Highest sustained plasma duration on record.

claimed verified

23 February 2025 · N250222

National Ignition Facility

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

2.44

Q_target

Highest target gain then on record.

claimed verified

Also on this shot

Fusion energy yield

claimed

2.05

Laser energy on target

claimed

4 April 2025 · Construction permit issued

CNSC licence to construct one BWRX-300 at the Darlington New Nuclear Project

Ontario Power Generation

achieved

7 April 2025 · N250406

National Ignition Facility

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

4.13

Q_target

Highest target gain on record.

claimed verified

Also on this shot

8.6

Fusion energy yield

claimed

2.08

Laser energy on target

claimed

May 2025 · Construction start

Hermes test reactor: safety-related construction begins

Kairos Power

achieved

29 May 2025 · Design approval or certification

NRC standard design approval for the NuScale US460 design

NuScale Power

achieved

24 July 2025 · Operating licence issued

Palisades: NRC reauthorises power operation (exemption, licence transfer and amendments to DPR-20)

Holtec International

achieved

2026

9 March 2026 · Construction permit issued

NRC construction permit CPAR-1 issued for Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 (Natrium)

TerraPower

achieved

6 April 2026

Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor

First criticality of a power reactor.

23 April 2026 · Construction start

Kemmerer Unit 1: nuclear construction begins (reported)

TerraPower

claimed

5 August 2026 · First criticality

Groves Isotope Test Reactor first criticality (Oklo-reported)

Oklo

claimed

Full chronicle

Every dated event in the dataset, 338 of them, including the moments above. A year with nothing dated is absent. That is the record, not a gap that was filled in.

1946

25 December First criticality F-1 Earliest first criticality on record.

1954

February First criticality CP-5 First criticality
13 July First criticality R1 First criticality

1955

15 August First criticality Breazeale Nuclear Reactor First criticality

1956

11 May First criticality BR1 First criticality
29 June First criticality Omega West Reactor First criticality

1957

First criticality AGN-201M, Texas A&M First criticality
30 April First criticality SAPHIR First criticality
16 September First criticality IEA-R1 First criticality
18 September First criticality Ford Nuclear Reactor First criticality
24 September First criticality LVR-15 First criticality
3 November First criticality NRU First criticality

1958

20 January First criticality RA-1 Enrico Fermi First criticality
26 January First criticality HIFAR First criticality
29 April First criticality RB (Vinča) First criticality
21 July First criticality MIT Research Reactor First criticality

1959

23 February First criticality TREAT First criticality
25 March First criticality Budapest Research Reactor First criticality
4 April First criticality McMaster Nuclear Reactor First criticality
28 May First criticality University of Florida Training Reactor First criticality
6 June First criticality TRICO I First criticality
29 June First criticality Halden Reactor First criticality
28 December First criticality RA (Vinča) First criticality
29 December First criticality WWR-M (Gatchina) First criticality

1960

First criticality DIORIT First criticality
June First criticality IGR First criticality
16 June First criticality IRR-1 First criticality
10 July First criticality CIRUS First criticality
7 September First criticality ZED-2 First criticality
6 November First criticality IPR-R1 First criticality
December First criticality Maryland University Training Reactor First criticality

1961

10 January First criticality SM-3 First criticality
8 February First criticality ETRR-1 First criticality
7 March First criticality Washington State University Reactor First criticality
16 March First criticality Ohio State University Research Reactor First criticality
26 March First criticality University of Wisconsin Nuclear Reactor First criticality
13 April First criticality THOR First criticality
6 July First criticality BR2 First criticality
27 July First criticality GRR-1 (Demokritos) First criticality
9 November First criticality High Flux Reactor, Petten First criticality
11 November First criticality UTR-KINKI First criticality
11 December First criticality Missouri S&T Reactor First criticality

1962

First criticality PUR-1 First criticality
First criticality Texas A&M NSC TRIGA reactor First criticality
7 March First criticality TRIGA Mark II reactor, Vienna First criticality
19 March First criticality KRR-1 First criticality
27 March First criticality FiR 1 First criticality
16 October First criticality Kansas State University TRIGA Mark II First criticality

1963

26 February First criticality Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor First criticality
25 April First criticality HOR First criticality
August First criticality PRR-1 First criticality

1964

24 April First criticality SUR Stuttgart First criticality
30 April First criticality VENUS-F First criticality
19 May First criticality Advanced Test Reactor Critical First criticality
25 June First criticality Kyoto University Research Reactor First criticality
15 December First criticality VK-50 First criticality

1965

20 January First criticality IAN-R1 First criticality
20 February First criticality Argonauta First criticality
18 March First criticality SAFARI-1 First criticality
August First criticality High Flux Isotope Reactor First criticality
21 December First criticality PARR-1 First criticality

1966

31 May First criticality TRIGA Mark II, Ljubljana First criticality
13 October First criticality University of Missouri Research Reactor First criticality
December First criticality JEEP II First criticality
24 December First criticality MIR.M1 First criticality

1967

First criticality AGN-201, Idaho State University First criticality
8 March First criticality Oregon State TRIGA Reactor First criticality
17 May First criticality RA-3 First criticality
26 May First criticality IRT-MEPhI First criticality
June First criticality Annular Core Research Reactor First criticality
2 July First criticality Advanced Test Reactor First criticality
22 July First criticality IRT-T First criticality
22 October First criticality WWR-K First criticality
7 December First criticality NBSR First criticality

1968

First criticality PROTEUS First criticality
30 March First criticality JMTR First criticality
2 July First criticality Reed Research Reactor First criticality
8 November First criticality TRIGA Mark III, Salazar First criticality
30 December First criticality BOR-60 First criticality

1969

Result T-3 nTτ: 2 × 10¹⁶ m⁻³·keV·s claimed Highest then
Result T-3 Ion temperature (peak): 0.3 keV claimed Highest then
Result T-3 Plasma density: 2.25 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
Result T-3 Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.003 s claimed Highest then
23 July First criticality University of Illinois Advanced TRIGA First criticality
25 November First criticality UC Irvine TRIGA reactor First criticality

1971

22 May First criticality BME Training Reactor First criticality
July First criticality ILL High-Flux Reactor First criticality

1972

First criticality PULSTAR First criticality
Result ST nTτ: 2.4 × 10¹⁷ m⁻³·keV·s claimed Highest then
Result ST Ion temperature (peak): 0.4 keV claimed Highest then
Result ST Plasma density: 6 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
Result ST Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.01 s claimed Highest then
24 March First criticality TRICO II First criticality
10 April First criticality KRR-2 First criticality
19 September First criticality IVG.1M First criticality

1974

6 August First criticality Kyoto University Critical Assembly First criticality
13 October First criticality RECH-1 First criticality
18 December First criticality MARIA First criticality

1975

2 January First criticality UMass Lowell Research Reactor First criticality
30 June First criticality NSRR First criticality
24 September First criticality RBT-6 First criticality
25 October First criticality University of Utah TRIGA reactor First criticality

1976

Result PLT nTτ: 3.2 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s claimed Highest then
Result PLT Ion temperature (peak): 1.54 keV claimed Highest then
Result PLT Plasma density: 5.2 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
Result PLT Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.04 s claimed Highest then
May First criticality SLOWPOKE-2, Polytechnique Montréal First criticality

1977

24 April First criticality Jōyō First criticality
12 October First criticality NRAD First criticality
7 November First criticality TRR-1/M1 First criticality

1978

Result Alcator A nTτ: 2.4 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³·keV·s claimed Highest then
Result Alcator A Ion temperature (peak): 0.8 keV claimed
Result Alcator A Plasma density: 1.5 × 10²¹ m⁻³ claimed
Result Alcator A Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.02 s claimed
15 December First criticality IBR-2 First criticality

1980

2 February First criticality TRIGA reactor, Pitești First criticality

1981

Result TFR nTτ: 5.2 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result TFR Ion temperature (peak): 0.95 keV claimed
Result TFR Plasma density: 1.61 × 10²⁰ m⁻³ claimed
Result TFR Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.034 s claimed
28 August First criticality IRT-1 (Tajoura) First criticality
10 December First criticality TR-2 First criticality

1982

Built Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor Built / entered operation
28 June First criticality TRIGA PUSPATI First criticality
23 September First criticality RA-6 First criticality
4 December First criticality AGN-201K First criticality
19 December First criticality LR-0 First criticality

1983

Built GAMMA 10/PDX Built / entered operation
Built GEKKO XII Built / entered operation
Built Joint European Torus Built / entered operation
24 November First criticality RBT-10/2 First criticality

1984

Result Alcator C nTτ: 1.2 × 10²⁰ m⁻³·keV·s claimed Highest then
Result Alcator C Ion temperature (peak): 1.5 keV claimed
Result Alcator C Plasma density: 1.5 × 10²¹ m⁻³ claimed
Result Alcator C Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.052 s claimed Highest then
13 March First criticality SLOWPOKE-2, University of the West Indies First criticality

1985

Built T-11M Built / entered operation
8 August First criticality Dhruva First criticality
6 September First criticality SLOWPOKE-2, Royal Military College of Canada First criticality
18 October First criticality Fast Breeder Test Reactor First criticality

1986

Built GDT Built / entered operation
14 September First criticality BAEC TRIGA Research Reactor First criticality

1987

29 July First criticality RSG-GAS First criticality

1988

Result ASDEX nTτ: 7.2 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result ASDEX Ion temperature (peak): 0.8 keV claimed
Result ASDEX Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.12 s claimed Highest then
9 November First criticality IPEN/MB-01 First criticality
30 November First criticality RP-10 First criticality

1989

6 September First criticality RECH-2 First criticality
2 November First criticality PARR-2 First criticality

1990

Built FTU Built / entered operation
20 January First criticality McClellan TRIGA reactor First criticality
12 March First criticality VR-1 First criticality
22 March First criticality JRR-3 First criticality

1991

2 November Result Joint European Torus nTτ: 6.1 × 10²⁰ m⁻³·keV·s claimed Highest then
2 November Result Joint European Torus Ion temperature (peak): 18.6 keV claimed Highest then
2 November Result Joint European Torus Plasma density: 4.1 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
2 November Result Joint European Torus Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.8 s claimed Highest on record

1992

Built TCV Built / entered operation
12 March First criticality UT Austin TRIGA Mark II First criticality

1994

Built EXTRAP T2R Built / entered operation
27 May Result Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor Q_plasma: 0.28 claimed Highest then
17 December First criticality GHARR-1 First criticality

1995

Built OMEGA Built / entered operation
8 February First criticality HANARO First criticality
17 February Result Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor nTτ: 7.9 × 10²⁰ m⁻³·keV·s claimed Highest on record
17 February Result Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor Ion temperature (peak): 43 keV claimed Highest then
17 February Result Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor Plasma density: 6.6 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
17 February Result Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.28 s claimed
23 February First criticality STACY First criticality

1996

August Result JT-60U nTτ: 1.5 × 10²¹ m⁻³·keV·s disputed verified
29 October First criticality KAMINI First criticality

1997

Result DIII-D nTτ: 3.7 × 10²⁰ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result DIII-D Ion temperature (peak): 18.1 keV claimed
Result DIII-D Plasma density: 8.5 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
Result DIII-D Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.24 s claimed
Built HYBTOK-II Built / entered operation
Built TJ-II Built / entered operation
17 June First criticality RA-8 First criticality
31 October Result Joint European Torus Q_plasma: 0.63 claimed Highest on record
27 November First criticality ETRR-2 First criticality

1998

Result JT-60U nTτ: 5.6 × 10²⁰ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result JT-60U Ion temperature (peak): 16.8 keV claimed
Result JT-60U Plasma density: 4.8 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
Result JT-60U Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.69 s claimed
Built Large Helical Device Built / entered operation
Result START nTτ: 6.1 × 10¹⁶ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result START Ion temperature (peak): 0.2 keV claimed
Result START Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.003 s claimed
11 October First criticality HTTR First criticality

1999

Built HSX Built / entered operation
Built TST-2 Built / entered operation

2000

Built ETE Built / entered operation
Built ZEBRA Built / entered operation
21 December First criticality HTR-10 First criticality

2001

Result JT-60U nTτ: 3.1 × 10²⁰ m⁻³·keV·s achieved verified
Result JT-60U Ion temperature (peak): 21.5 keV achieved verified
Result JT-60U Plasma density: 4.2 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ achieved verified
Result JT-60U Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.344 s achieved verified
Result JT-60U Equivalent D-T gain (extrapolated): 0.185 claimed modelled verified
Result JT-60U Equivalent D-T gain (extrapolated) (sustained): 0.8 claimed modelled verified

2002

Built HL-2A Built / entered operation

2004

2 March First criticality FRM II First criticality

2005

Built CTH Built / entered operation
Built UH-CTI Built / entered operation

2006

Result MAST nTτ: 4.5 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result MAST Ion temperature (peak): 3 keV claimed
Result MAST Plasma density: 3 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
Result MAST Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.05 s claimed
Built RT-1 Built / entered operation
Built URAGAN-2M Built / entered operation
12 August First criticality OPAL First criticality

2009

Built National Ignition Facility Built / entered operation
Result NSTX nTτ: 4.8 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result NSTX Ion temperature (peak): 1.2 keV claimed
Result NSTX Plasma density: 5 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
Result NSTX Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.08 s claimed

2010

13 May First criticality China Advanced Research Reactor First criticality
21 July First criticality China Experimental Fast Reactor First criticality

2011

28 February First criticality PIK First criticality

2013

Built SST-1 Built / entered operation
Built VEST Built / entered operation

2014

Result KSTAR nTτ: 9.6 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result KSTAR Ion temperature (peak): 2 keV claimed
Result KSTAR Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.1 s claimed

2015

Result Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak nTτ: 9.6 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak Ion temperature (peak): 2.1 keV claimed
Result Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak Plasma density: 8.5 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
Result Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.054 s claimed

2016

Result ASDEX UPGRADE nTτ: 2.2 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result ASDEX UPGRADE Ion temperature (peak): 8 keV claimed
Result ASDEX UPGRADE Plasma density: 5 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
Result ASDEX UPGRADE Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.056 s claimed
Result C-Mod nTτ: 7.4 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result C-Mod Ion temperature (peak): 2.5 keV claimed
Result C-Mod Plasma density: 5.5 × 10²⁰ m⁻³ claimed
Result C-Mod Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.054 s claimed
Built SCR-1 Built / entered operation
First plasma WEST First plasma

2017

Built KTM Built / entered operation
Built NORMAN Built / entered operation
Result Wendelstein 7-X nTτ: 6 × 10²⁶ K·m⁻³·s claimed
Result Wendelstein 7-X Ion temperature: 4 × 10⁷ K claimed
Result Wendelstein 7-X Plasma density: 8 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
Result Wendelstein 7-X Plasma duration: 26 s claimed

2018

Built MT-1 Built / entered operation

2019

Result GLOBUS-M2 nTτ: 1.4 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result GLOBUS-M2 Ion temperature (peak): 1.2 keV claimed
Result GLOBUS-M2 Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.01 s claimed

2020

First plasma MAST-U First plasma
11 March Licensing Aurora custom combined licence application submitted (Idaho National Laboratory) Application submitted achieved verified
11 September Licensing NRC standard design approval for the NuScale US600 design (50 MWe modules) Design approval or certification achieved verified

2021

12 September First criticality HTR-PM demonstration plant, Shidao Bay Earliest power-reactor criticality on record.
21 December Result Joint European Torus Fusion energy yield: 59 MJ superseded Highest then verified
21 December Result Joint European Torus Q_plasma (average): 0.33 claimed Highest then verified

2022

Result FuZE Electron temperature (peak): — keV claimed verified
Result ST40 nTτ: 6.3 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s claimed
Result ST40 Ion temperature (peak): 9.6 keV achieved verified
Result ST40 Plasma density: 5.5 × 10¹⁹ m⁻³ claimed
Result ST40 Energy confinement time (τ_E): 0.012 s claimed
Result ST40 Ion temperature (peak): 8.6 keV superseded verified
Result ST40 nTτ (peak): 6 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s claimed verified
6 January Licensing NRC denies Aurora combined licence application Application denied achieved verified
April Licensing UK Generic Design Assessment begun (Step 1) Accepted for review achieved verified
14 April Result OMEGA Q_target: 0.03 claimed Highest then
June Built FUZE-Q Built / entered operation
12 August Licensing Molten Salt Research Reactor construction permit application submitted Application submitted achieved verified
18 November Licensing Molten Salt Research Reactor construction permit application accepted for docketing Accepted for review achieved verified
5 December Result National Ignition Facility Q_target: 1.5 achieved Highest then verified
5 December Result National Ignition Facility Wall-plug gain: 0.0078 claimed verified
5 December Result National Ignition Facility Fusion energy yield: 3.1 MJ achieved verified
5 December Result National Ignition Facility Laser energy on target: 2.05 MJ achieved verified

2023

Result Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak Plasma duration (sustained): 403 s superseded Highest then verified
15 February Result Wendelstein 7-X Plasma duration (sustained): 480 s claimed Highest then
21 February Licensing NRC design certification of the NuScale US600 design (10 CFR Part 52, Appendix G) Design approval or certification achieved verified
6 June First criticality VR-2 First criticality
30 July Result National Ignition Facility Q_target: 1.89 claimed Highest then verified
30 July Result National Ignition Facility Fusion energy yield: 3.88 MJ claimed verified
30 July Result National Ignition Facility Laser energy on target: 2.05 MJ claimed verified
3 October Result Joint European Torus Fusion energy yield: 69.26 MJ achieved Highest on record verified
3 October Result Joint European Torus Q_plasma (average): 0.37 claimed Highest on record verified
8 October Result National Ignition Facility Q_target: 1.26 claimed verified
8 October Result National Ignition Facility Fusion energy yield: 2.4 MJ claimed verified
8 October Result National Ignition Facility Laser energy on target: 1.9 MJ claimed verified
11 October First criticality TMSR-LF1 First criticality
30 October Result National Ignition Facility Q_target: 1.55 claimed verified
30 October Result National Ignition Facility Fusion energy yield: 3.4 MJ claimed verified
30 October Result National Ignition Facility Laser energy on target: 2.2 MJ claimed verified
14 December Licensing NRC construction permit issued for Hermes test reactor Construction permit issued achieved verified

2024

January First plasma EXL-50U First plasma
February Result KSTAR Ion temperature (sustained): 8.6 keV claimed Highest on record verified
February Result KSTAR Plasma duration (sustained): 48 s claimed verified
12 February Result National Ignition Facility Q_target: 2.36 claimed Highest then verified
12 February Result National Ignition Facility Fusion energy yield: 5.2 MJ claimed verified
12 February Result National Ignition Facility Laser energy on target: 2.2 MJ claimed verified
28 March Licensing Construction permit application submitted for Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 (Natrium), Wyoming Application submitted achieved verified
21 May Licensing Kemmerer Unit 1 construction permit application accepted for docketing Accepted for review achieved verified
June First plasma HH70 First plasma
16 September Licensing NRC construction permit CPRR-124 issued for the Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction permit issued achieved verified
18 November Result National Ignition Facility Q_target: 1.86 claimed verified
18 November Result National Ignition Facility Fusion energy yield: 4.1 MJ claimed verified
18 November Result National Ignition Facility Laser energy on target: 2.2 MJ claimed verified
21 November Licensing NRC construction permits issued for Hermes 2 test reactor facility (two units) Construction permit issued achieved verified

2025

Result ST40 nTτ: 8 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³·keV·s claimed verified
Result ST40 Plasma current (peak): 1 MA claimed verified
20 January Result Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak Plasma duration (sustained): 1,066 s claimed Highest then verified
12 February Result WEST Plasma duration (sustained): 1,337 s claimed Highest on record verified
23 February Result National Ignition Facility Q_target: 2.44 claimed Highest then verified
23 February Result National Ignition Facility Fusion energy yield: 5 MJ claimed verified
23 February Result National Ignition Facility Laser energy on target: 2.05 MJ claimed verified
31 March Licensing Construction permit application submitted for Long Mott (Dow Seadrift) Application submitted achieved verified
4 April Licensing CNSC licence to construct one BWRX-300 at the Darlington New Nuclear Project Construction permit issued achieved verified
7 April Result National Ignition Facility Q_target: 4.13 claimed Highest on record verified
7 April Result National Ignition Facility Fusion energy yield: 8.6 MJ claimed verified
7 April Result National Ignition Facility Laser energy on target: 2.08 MJ claimed verified
28 April Licensing Clinch River Unit 1 (BWRX-300) construction permit application submitted Application submitted achieved verified
May Licensing Hermes test reactor: safety-related construction begins Construction start achieved verified
12 May Licensing Long Mott construction permit application accepted for docketing Accepted for review achieved verified
22 May Result Wendelstein 7-X Plasma duration (sustained): 360 s claimed verified
29 May Licensing NRC standard design approval for the NuScale US460 design Design approval or certification achieved verified
22 June Result National Ignition Facility Fusion energy yield: 2.4 MJ claimed verified
9 July Licensing Clinch River Unit 1 (BWRX-300) construction permit application accepted for docketing Accepted for review achieved verified
24 July Licensing Palisades: NRC reauthorises power operation (exemption, licence transfer and amendments to DPR-20) Operating licence issued achieved verified
1 October Result National Ignition Facility Q_target: 1.74 claimed verified
1 October Result National Ignition Facility Fusion energy yield: 3.5 MJ claimed verified
1 October Result National Ignition Facility Laser energy on target: 2.065 MJ claimed verified
31 December Licensing Pioneer Units 1 and 2 (SMR-300): Part 1 of phased construction permit application submitted Application submitted achieved verified

2026

13 February Licensing Pioneer Units 1 and 2: Part 1 of phased construction permit application accepted for docketing Accepted for review achieved verified
9 March Licensing NRC construction permit CPAR-1 issued for Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 (Natrium) Construction permit issued achieved verified
6 April First criticality Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor First criticality of a power reactor.
23 April Licensing Kemmerer Unit 1: nuclear construction begins (reported) Construction start claimed
June Licensing Aurora-INL: DOE approves Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis (Oklo-reported) Aurora-INL: DOE approves Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis (Oklo-reported) claimed
June Result KSTAR Plasma duration (sustained): 102 s disputed verified
20 June Result National Ignition Facility Q_target: 3.8 claimed verified
20 June Result National Ignition Facility Fusion energy yield: 7.9 MJ claimed verified
23 July Licensing Groves Isotope Test Reactor: DOE startup authorisation (Oklo-reported) Groves Isotope Test Reactor: DOE startup authorisation (Oklo-reported) claimed
5 August First criticality Groves Isotope Test Reactor First criticality
5 August Licensing Groves Isotope Test Reactor first criticality (Oklo-reported) First criticality claimed