American Fusion has taken another step toward developing its own fusion energy capability: the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has granted the company a permit to conduct research and testing on the experimental Texatron Fusion Engine. The certification covers twelve reactor configurations with power outputs ranging from 500 kW to 1 GW. Developers are now preparing to proceed with the next phase of testing at Texas Tech University.
The primary goal of the upcoming experiments is to demonstrate for the first time that a controlled fusion reaction can be sustained inside Texatron. To achieve this, engineers will measure plasma temperature, particle density, and magnetic confinement efficiency to determine whether the system can create conditions for stable thermonuclear fusion.
If this phase proves successful, the company will move on to the next milestone—electricity generation. Initially, this will involve pulsed operation, serving as an intermediate step before developing a reactor capable of providing continuous power to consumers.
American Fusion has announced that test results will be independently documented and, following peer review, published in open scientific literature.
Unlike conventional nuclear power plants, which generate energy through the fission of heavy atomic nuclei, Texatron relies on magnetic confinement of superheated plasma to trigger fusion. The developers claim this approach will significantly reduce the volume of long-lived radioactive waste. Moreover, the company aims to eliminate traditional steam turbines altogether by directly converting plasma energy into electricity.
In parallel, American Fusion is already designing several versions of the system with capacities of 5, 10, and 20 MW, as well as conducting preliminary development of a 100 MW reactor.
The company believes that compact versions of Texatron could find applications beyond the energy sector, serving as mobile power sources for military installations, remote industrial facilities, mining operations, and data centers—where DC power supply is especially in demand.
By the end of 2026, American Fusion expects to complete core plasma system testing, gather experimental data, expand patent protection for the technology, and initiate discussions with potential commercial partners.
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