Israeli energy company nT-Tao has fired the first plasma pulses using its C3 prototype. The transition to operational status occurred two months after the start of assembly. The C3 prototype is the latest iteration in nT-Tao’s mission to develop a compact, modular fusion reactor. The target is a compact fusion reactor capable of generating 10-20 MW of stable power, with a final system designed to be compact, scalable, and affordable. nT-Tao’s solution, engineered for scalability and rapid deployment, is adaptable to a wide range of on- and off-grid energy needs, including distributed baseload power, industrial facilities, small towns, ships, data centres, and remote locations
The C3 builds directly upon the successful experimental campaign of the C2-A system, which achieved plasma temperatures of about one million degrees at the intended high-density regime. The C3 system serves as a testbed for a compact, modular fusion reactor design. It utilises a proprietary magnetic-confinement and pulsed-power approach designed for high-density regimes. The current design includes refinements to magnets, pulsed power systems, diagnostics, and overall system integration. These refinements are intended to extend plasma performance beyond the capabilities of previous generations.
The company employs an iterative engineering cycle intended to move from simulation and fabrication to experimental validation within 12 months. Data harvested from C3 will be used to validate existing simulations and inform the development of future prototypes.
In December 2025, nT-Tao researchers and collaborators from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev published a study in the journal Actuators (Volume 14, Issue 12), which introduces a non-linear control methodology that enables a resonant inverter to maintain stable resonance even as its electrical load changes rapidly, a condition intrinsic to the formation and heating of fusion plasma. The approach is validated through detailed time-domain simulations that mimic laboratory plasma conditions.
Fusion plasmas behave unpredictably, forcing power systems to adapt instantly. This new control method allows nT-Tao’s pulsed-power system to tune itself in real time, keeping energy delivery stable and efficient even under fast-changing conditions, an essential capability for achieving repeatable, high-performance plasma pulses. The controller also enables self-calibration, which cuts the number of experiments required to ensure proper operation. This allows efficiency in utilising laboratory time for scientific advancement. The research advances a core enabling technology for nT-Tao’s compact fusion system by improving pulsed-power stability, increasing power-transfer efficiency, and supporting the company’s high-density plasma regime and extreme repetition rates. The method’s scalability also aligns with nT-Tao’s broader vision of manufacturable, modular fusion systems suitable for deployment across data centres, industrial facilities, defence applications, and remote communities.
“Pulsed-power control is foundational to compact fusion. This work provides a viable pathway to stabilising and maximising resonant power delivery under the highly dynamic conditions created during plasma formation,” said Natan Schecter, Director of Power Electronics at nT-Tao. “It’s an important step toward realising a fusion system that can run reliably and repeatedly at commercial-grade operating conditions.”
“The nonlinear controller demonstrated in this paper addresses one of the most complex challenges in fusion power electronics,” said Ohad Akler, Power Electronics Engineer at nT-Tao. “As the fusion field moves toward high-density, rapid-pulse architectures, these control capabilities become indispensable.”
nT-Tao says on its website that it is taking a fundamentally different approach to fusion energy by focusing on a compact, efficient design. “Our smaller-scale fusion technology offers distinct advantages throughout the development process and beyond. During the research and development phase, our compact approach enables faster iteration cycles and more cost-effective testing, accelerating our path to a fusion energy future.”
