Utilities are racing to link up with fusion startups, with Realta Fusion the latest to benefit

Fusion startup Realta Fusion this week announced a deal with Madison Gas and Electric that will place one of the first grid-connected fusion power plants in the country in Wisconsin. The partnership comes as utilities around the world have been jockeying to court fusion startups, a courtship that says as much about utilities’ anxiety over future power supply as it does about fusion’s progress.

For founders and investors watching the sector, these tie-ups serve as a kind of real-world credibility check. A deal with a utility offers several advantages for a fusion startup, ranging from engineering support and permitting assistance to site selection for grid interconnection and land leases. For utilities, such deals give them early access to a technology with the potential to reshape the grid for decades to come.