Maria Dominguez on manufacturing
From Maria Teresa Domínguez: "Public-Private Collaboration in Fusion" #FusionForward · · Fundación Innovación Bankinter
“The first wall panels are complex heat exchangers: the heat from the plasma is transferred through these components; you can't use normal welding and must use HIPping processes — there are very few facilities in the world for that.”
On , Maria Dominguez, Chief Executive Officer of Power at GE Vernova, spoke about manufacturing during Maria Teresa Domínguez: "Public-Private Collaboration in Fusion" #FusionForward on Fundación Innovación Bankinter.
About Maria Dominguez
Maria Dominguez, Chief Executive Officer of Power at GE Vernova, spoke at the 44th edition of the Future Trends forum on November 25, 2025, about public-private collaboration in fusion energy. She stated that the right moment for investment decisions in fusion is now, assuming the technology matures, and expressed optimism about that timeline. Dominguez noted that GE Vernova has worked on fission since 1971 and fusion since 1994, including design activities for ITER and contracts involving integration, building construction, instrumentation control, and thermohydraulic systems. She said the company has integrated 210 projects across various energy technologies and found synergies among them. Dominguez said the European Commission plans to create a public-private partnership (PPP) for fusion, with the first call announced for 2026. She stated that an industry association will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Commission to organize the partnership. She estimated that the first fusion plants will be operational in 20 years, with 15 years for construction and five for commissioning and ramp-up. Dominguez described specific technical challenges, such as the need for hot isostatic pressing (HIPping) processes for first wall panels, noting that few facilities in the world can perform this work.