Secretary of Energy outlines FY2027 budget priorities, announces reactor criticality and boosts for AI, quantum and fusion
June 10, 2026 | Department of Energy (DOE), Executive, Federal
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Secretary of Energy delivered remarks presenting the President's fiscal year 2027 budget request for the Department of Energy and highlighted a series of technology and energy milestones, including an advanced nuclear reactor reaching criticality and increased investments in AI, quantum computing and fusion research.
The Secretary said the administration is "strengthening America's scientific edge" and described the Genesis mission — launched under President Trump — as a nationwide effort to make the United States the leader in artificial intelligence, bringing together all 17 DOE national laboratories, computing resources and research institutions. "This is not just a program. It is a nationwide mobilization," he said.
Why it matters: the speech framed DOE's budget request as a driver of economic strength and national security, tying research investments to industry-led deployment. The Secretary said the Genesis mission drew the largest response in DOE history, with "over 800 institutions applied, spanning industry, national labs, and academia," and credited funding from what he called the "one big beautiful bill" for enabling platforms such as the American Science Cloud and ModCon projects.
On nuclear energy, the Secretary cited an administration objective of "three reactors critical by our nation's 250th birthday" and announced a milestone: "the first new non-light water reactor in over four decades reached criticality on June 4th." He called the achievement "a historic moment" and said it reflects partnership between science, technology and private enterprise.
The Secretary also outlined DOE moves on quantum technology. He said DOE renewed five national quantum information science research centers — noting that two 2025 Nobel Prize winners in physics are associated with those centers — and announced two initiatives: an incentive-based competition to build a scientifically relevant quantum computer by 2028 and the creation of a national quantum supercomputing user facility to accelerate development and workforce training.
On fusion, the Secretary said DOE "realized the finalized fusion science and technology roadmap, a national strategy to develop and commercialize fusion energy," and that DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) has committed $135 million over the next 18 months to advance fusion technologies, which he described as the largest concentrated commitment in ARPA-E's history. He added that ARPA-E has committed $170 million in 2026 across priority areas including lithium extraction, deep nuclear waste storage, grid modernization, quantum advances and AI-accelerated catalyst discovery.
Quotes from the remarks were limited to the Secretary's prepared statements; no formal votes or actions were recorded during the address. The Secretary concluded by saying he would end his remarks "to stay on time."
The Secretary said the administration is "strengthening America's scientific edge" and described the Genesis mission — launched under President Trump — as a nationwide effort to make the United States the leader in artificial intelligence, bringing together all 17 DOE national laboratories, computing resources and research institutions. "This is not just a program. It is a nationwide mobilization," he said.
Why it matters: the speech framed DOE's budget request as a driver of economic strength and national security, tying research investments to industry-led deployment. The Secretary said the Genesis mission drew the largest response in DOE history, with "over 800 institutions applied, spanning industry, national labs, and academia," and credited funding from what he called the "one big beautiful bill" for enabling platforms such as the American Science Cloud and ModCon projects.
On nuclear energy, the Secretary cited an administration objective of "three reactors critical by our nation's 250th birthday" and announced a milestone: "the first new non-light water reactor in over four decades reached criticality on June 4th." He called the achievement "a historic moment" and said it reflects partnership between science, technology and private enterprise.
The Secretary also outlined DOE moves on quantum technology. He said DOE renewed five national quantum information science research centers — noting that two 2025 Nobel Prize winners in physics are associated with those centers — and announced two initiatives: an incentive-based competition to build a scientifically relevant quantum computer by 2028 and the creation of a national quantum supercomputing user facility to accelerate development and workforce training.
On fusion, the Secretary said DOE "realized the finalized fusion science and technology roadmap, a national strategy to develop and commercialize fusion energy," and that DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) has committed $135 million over the next 18 months to advance fusion technologies, which he described as the largest concentrated commitment in ARPA-E's history. He added that ARPA-E has committed $170 million in 2026 across priority areas including lithium extraction, deep nuclear waste storage, grid modernization, quantum advances and AI-accelerated catalyst discovery.
Quotes from the remarks were limited to the Secretary's prepared statements; no formal votes or actions were recorded during the address. The Secretary concluded by saying he would end his remarks "to stay on time."
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