Roadmap Mission, Goals and Objectives
The Massachusetts Advanced Nuclear and Fusion Energy Roadmap (the Roadmap) was initiated by Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll in October 2025 to provide the Commonwealth with a strategic framework for evaluating the potential role of advanced nuclear fission and fusion technologies in achieving Massachusetts' energy, climate, economic development, and innovation objectives. The Roadmap was developed at a pivotal time in the Commonwealth's energy transition. Rising electricity demand, nation-leading decarbonization objectives, increasing emphasis on energy affordability and grid reliability, accelerating investment in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing, and renewed national interest in nuclear technologies and advances in fusion together underscored the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the role that advanced nuclear fission and fusion could play in Massachusetts' future energy system.
The development of the Roadmap followed a structured, iterative process that combined broad stakeholder participation with technical analysis and continuous synthesis. Information was gathered from three complementary sources:
- Stakeholder Engagement — Input from organizations representing the full range of perspectives associated with advanced nuclear and fusion technologies in Massachusetts, regionally, and globally.
- Technical Research and Literature Review — Review of federal studies, national laboratory reports, industry publications, peer-reviewed literature, state roadmaps, regulatory guidance, and international experience.
- Government and Industry Engagement — Ongoing discussions with state agencies, regional organizations, elected officials, national laboratories, utilities, technology developers, professional organizations, and industry conferences.
Together, these activities created an iterative process in which stakeholder feedback informed technical analysis, technical findings were validated through continued engagement, and emerging recommendations were refined through additional dialogue and comparative evaluation. This integrated approach helped ensure that the Roadmap reflects both Massachusetts-specific priorities and broader national and international developments in advanced nuclear and fusion energy.