Commerce Department Plans $389 Million in CHIPS R&D Awards
The U.S. Department of Commerce has signed four letters of intent for as much as $389 million in research awards under the CHIPS and Science Act. The proposed funding targets power semiconductor devices, modules and materials used in energy infrastructure and data centers. Helion and Commonwealth Fusion Systems are among the companies named.
The Commerce Department has signed four letters of intent for as much as $389 million in CHIPS and Science Act research awards. The proposed projects focus on power semiconductor devices, modules, and materials tied to grid and data-center energy needs.
Helion could receive up to $175 million for high-voltage power semiconductors and pulsed-power modules for fusion; Commonwealth Fusion Systems up to $85 million for radio-frequency plasma heating, power electronics, diagnostics, and radiation-hardened electronics. Vertical Semiconductor is slated for up to $73 million for vertical gallium nitride work, and Sibelco up to $56 million for ultra-high-purity quartz technologies. The government would take minority, non-voting equity stakes.
The awards could affect semiconductor researchers, equipment and materials suppliers, fusion developers, data-center operators, and electricity users. If the projects advance, more efficient power conversion may support grid stability and lower thermal losses, while domestic R&D may reduce reliance on overseas manufacturing. The equity stakes may shape taxpayer returns, though outcomes depend on final awards and technical success.