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Zap Energy Launches Integrated Fission–Fusion Strategy and Names Zabrina Johal CEO

The move signals a shift from research to deployment to meet fast-rising power demand.

Overview

  • The leadership change, announced Wednesday, puts cofounder Benj Conway in the president role focused on strategy and long-term technology.
  • Zap will pair near-term work on compact modular fission units with continued fusion research, which the company says can speed development by sharing materials and liquid‑metal systems.
  • The fission effort targets a sodium‑cooled microreactor inspired by Toshiba’s 4S and the EBR‑II lineage, leveraging know‑how from Zap’s liquid‑lithium fusion systems to cut engineering friction.
  • Zap says it remains in the U.S. Department of Energy’s milestone fusion program, reports new results on its FuZE‑3 device, and has brought its next‑generation FuZE‑A system online.
  • The company is targeting early‑2030s fission sales and a fusion pilot design later this decade, and it says near‑term revenue could come from federal programs or milestone payments from large power users.