Xcimer Energy Showcases Laser Fusion Progress to U.S. Energy Secretary in Denver Facility Tour

Xcimer Energy Inc. hosted a significant technology briefing at its Denver headquarters, welcoming U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and U.S. Representative Gabe Evans of Colorado. The visit underscores growing governmental support for commercial laser fusion development in the United States.

The timing of this high-profile visit is strategic. Just one week prior, Xcimer successfully initiated testing of what the company claims is the most powerful KrF laser developed this century. This advanced optical system serves as the energy source for “Phoenix,” the company’s experimental pulse compression platform designed to generate laser pulses capable of initiating inertial fusion reactions in capsule targets.

Phoenix Prototype on Track for Completion

According to Xcimer Energy Co-founder and CEO Conner Galloway, the Phoenix system represents a critical developmental milestone. The company completed its first major laser component earlier in 2024 and expects full system integration by the first half of 2026. Notably, the project remains aligned with both schedule and financial projections—a significant achievement in cutting-edge fusion research where cost overruns and delays are common.

The briefing also included Dr. Tony Frank, Chancellor of the Colorado State University System, signaling academic partnerships supporting the initiative.

Vulcan: Next-Generation Fusion Facility

Beyond Phoenix, Xcimer is advancing plans for Vulcan, an ambitious next-generation laser fusion facility expected to reach engineering breakeven in 2031. This facility will employ laser technology achieving up to 12 MJ of energy output using some of the largest amplifier systems ever constructed. When operational, Vulcan will reportedly surpass existing global facilities including France’s Laser Megajoule and China’s Mianyang installation in raw energy capacity and brightness.

Engineering breakeven—where a fusion reaction releases more energy than required to initiate it—represents the threshold for commercial viability.

Multistate Competition for Vulcan’s Location

Currently, Xcimer is conducting a nationwide site selection process to determine where Vulcan will be built. Colorado (where the company is headquartered) remains a strong contender, though Texas, New Mexico, and California are also in consideration. The competition reflects the substantial economic development opportunities associated with hosting a world-class fusion research facility.

Projected benefits include direct employment of physicists, technicians, and support personnel, plus downstream infrastructure investment and regional specialization in energy technology, high-performance computing, and advanced manufacturing. Communities anticipate that hosting Vulcan could establish their regions as innovation hubs attracting data centers, robotics firms, and medical research institutions.

Why Laser Fusion Matters

Laser fusion represents the only fusion approach that has been experimentally proven to exceed scientific breakeven—a distinction the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Lab demonstrated in December 2022. The approach differs from magnetic confinement fusion and other competing technologies by relying on proven physics rather than speculative engineering.

Xcimer’s competitive advantage lies in combining this validated laser-inertial fusion method with novel laser architecture that significantly reduces costs compared to solid-state systems employed at national laboratories.

Industry Context

The U.S. Energy Secretary’s visit reflects heightened federal interest in accelerating commercial fusion energy timelines. Secretary Wright emphasized that “fusion on our energy grid will unleash America’s full potential and help power the industries of the future,” framing laser fusion as both an economic and technological priority.

Xcimer, founded in 2022 by Conner Galloway and Alexander Valys (both plasma physics specialists from MIT and Los Alamos National Lab), currently employs over 150 people across Denver headquarters and manufacturing operations in Tucson, Arizona. The company has secured Department of Energy funding and backing from major climate technology investors.

Galloway stated that “fusion is the last new energy source humanity will ever need,” underscoring the strategic importance of securing domestic leadership in this emerging sector as the global fusion race intensifies.