Fusion Energy Week Offers Rare Chance to Tour DIII-D National Fusion Facility

The public can go behind the scenes at the nation's largest operating fusion device and see the future of energy technology.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 12:49am

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During Fusion Energy Week in May, the public is invited to tour the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science user facility operated by General Atomics in San Diego. Guests will get an up-close look at the powerful tokamak machine driving research to advance fusion energy technology, which could provide abundant, sustainable power. In-person and virtual tour options are available over three days.

Why it matters

Fusion energy has the potential to revolutionize the world's energy landscape by providing a safe, sustainable, and virtually limitless source of power. As one of the leading fusion research facilities in the U.S., the DIII-D National Fusion Facility is at the forefront of this transformative technology, making this a rare opportunity for the public to go behind the scenes and see the future of energy in action.

The details

The DIII-D National Fusion Facility uses a tokamak device, which employs powerful magnetic fields to contain and control superhot plasma, the state of matter required to produce fusion reactions. During the Fusion Energy Week tours, visitors will see this cutting-edge machine and learn how scientists and engineers are working to harness the same process that powers the sun and stars to generate abundant, sustainable energy on Earth.

  • The in-person tour options are on Friday, May 8, 2026 at 9-11:30 a.m. PDT, noon-2:30 p.m. PDT, and 3-5 p.m. PDT.
  • The virtual tour options are on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at 10-11:30 a.m. PDT and Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 4-5:30 p.m. PDT.

The players

General Atomics

A company that has advanced the state of the art across science and technology, from nuclear energy and defense to medicine and high-performance computing, and operates the DIII-D National Fusion Facility.

DIII-D National Fusion Facility

The largest magnetic fusion research facility in the U.S. and a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science user facility, where scientists are working to develop fusion energy technology.

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What’s next

To secure an in-person tour spot, interested individuals must register online by April 30, 2026, as all in-person visitors must be cleared through security in advance due to DIII-D being a government facility.

The takeaway

This rare public tour of the DIII-D National Fusion Facility offers a unique opportunity to see the cutting-edge research and technology that could revolutionize the world's energy landscape by providing a safe, sustainable, and virtually limitless source of power through fusion energy.