Charges/Reports

Generally, when the Office of Science charges FESAC to deal with a specific topic, FESAC assembles a subcommittee consisting of several members of FESAC and experts in the field that are needed to deal with the specific topic or topics. The subcommittee addresses the specific topics and prepares a report that it presents to FESAC in a public session. FESAC either accepts the report presented to it as its own, or makes changes to the subcommittee's report and then accepts the report as its own. At that point, the FESAC Chair transmits the report to the Director of the Office of Science to complete the charge. The letter from the FESAC Chair to the Director of the Office of Science, transmitting the FESAC report, is added to the FESAC report and it is then published by the Department of Energy with a DOE/SC report number. The FESAC reports and information from the meeting at which the reports were accepted by FESAC are available below.

The current FESAC Charges can be found here:

Reports on the Fusion Energy Sciences Program not produced by FESAC may be found on the Program News page.

Meeting Date

 Reports/Charge/Response
April 30, 2024 During this meeting, FESAC discussed and approved the Report of the FESAC Facilities Construction Projects Subcommittee completing the charge on this subject. The report was submitted to the Office of Science with a transmittal letter.
December 13, 2023 During this meeting, FESAC discussed new charges on An FES Decadal Plan and Facilities Construction Projects. For the second charge, a List of Facilities was also presented.
September 18, 2023 During this meeting, FESAC discussed and approved the “Report on International Collaboration Opportunities, Modes, and Workforce Impacts for Advancement of US Fusion Energy,” completing the charge on this subject. The report was submitted to the Office of Science with a transmittal letter.
 May 25, 2022 The presentations from this FESAC meeting are included under Hyperlinks to Presentations on the Meetings page. During this meeting, FESAC discussed a new charge on international benchmarking.
August 30-31, 2021  The presentations from this FESAC meeting are included under Hyperlinks to Presentations on the Meetings page. 
December 7,8, & 10, 2020 During this meeting, FESAC discussed and approved the report Powering the Future: Fusion & Plasmas on a long-range plan to deliver fusion energy and to advance plasma science, completing the charge on this subject.  The report was submitted to the Office of Science with a transmittal letter.
October 2, 2019 The presentations from this FESAC meeting are included as links in the meeting agenda document.
April 30, 2019 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) convened via teleconference.
March 12-13, 2019

The presentations from this FESAC meeting are included as links in the meeting agenda document.
December 6-7, 2018  During this meeting, FESAC discussed and approved the 2018 "Committee of Visitors (COV) report", which was submitted to the Office of Science with a "transmittal letter". FESAC also discussed the "new charge" on long range strategic planning. In response to this charge, the American Physical Society’s Division of Plasma Physics produced a 2020 report, entitled: “A Community Plan for Fusion Energy and Discovery Plasma Sciences”. This report was used by FESAC to respond to the charge. 
February 1-2, 2018

During this meeting, FESAC discussedtheir recent reporton "Transformative Enabling Capabilities for Efficient Advance Toward Fusion Energy."FESAC modified this report and approved the final report, which was submitted to the Office of Science with a transmittal letter. The committee also discussed thenew charge on the Committee of Visitors (COV).
February 1-2, 2017

The presentations from this FESAC meeting are included as links in the meeting agenda document.
January 13-14, 2016 The presentations from this FESAC meeting are included as links in the meeting agenda document.
July 17, 2015 During this meeting, which was held as a teleconference, FESAC discussed the report of the non-fusion applications subcommittee, completing thecharge on this subject. Atransmittal letter accompanied the submission of thefinal report to DOE.
March 12-13, 2015 During this meeting, FESAC discussed the Committee of Visitors (COV) report, completing thecharge on this subject. Atransmittal letter accompanied the submission of thefinal report to DOE. The committee also discussed thenew charge on non-fusion applications.
October 10, 2014 During this meeting, which was held as a teleconference, FESAC discussed the report of the Strategic Plan panel, completing thecharge on this subject. Atransmittal letter and aminority report accompanied the submission of thefinal report to DOE.
September 22-23, 2014 During this meeting, FESAC discussed thedraft report of the Strategic Plan panel. FESAC will consider the final draft report for approval in its October 10, 2014 meeting, which will be held as a teleconference.
June 16, 2014 During this meeting, which was held as a teleconference, FESAC discussed the report of its subcommittee on the workforce development needs in Office of Science research disciplines, completing thecharge on this subject. Atransmittal letter accompanied the submission of thefinal report to DOE.
April 9 – 10, 2014 The committee discussed three new charges on the FES Strategic Plan, Workforce Development, and the Committee of Visitors.
March 15, 2013 The FESAC meeting was broadcast live on the Internet and a video record of the meeting is archived at this site:http://doe.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3. During this meeting, FESAC discussed thereport of its subcommittee on Prioritization of Scientific User Facilities during 2014-2024, completing thecharge on this subject. Atransmittal letter accompanied the submission of the final report to DOE.
January 31, 2013 The FESAC meeting was broadcast live on the Internet and a video record of the meeting is archived at this site: http://doe.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3 . During this meeting, FESAC discussed thereport of its subcommittee on Magnetic Fusion Energy Program Priorities, completing thecharge on this subject. Atransmittal letter accompanied the submission of the final report to DOE.
February 28-29, 2012 The FESAC meeting was broadcast live on the Internet and a video record of the meeting is archived at this site: http://doe.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3 .
During this meeting FESAC discussed and accepted thereport of its subcommittee on Opportunities and Modes of International Collaboration During the ITER Era. The Committee also discussed and accepted thereport of its subcommittee on Fusion Materials Sciences and Technology Opportunities in the ITER Era. The Chair provided the reports to DOE in the transmittal letter. These discussions completed thecharge on these subjects. The committee also heard briefings on the FY 2013 President’s Budget request, and on the status of the US ITER activities. A briefing was also provided on the current status of the Chinese Fusion research program. The materials presented during these briefings can be found by going to the Agenda. Finally, FESAC prepared aletter to Dr. Brinkman expressing their concerns about the President’s FY 2013 Budget Request for fusion Energy Sciences
July 28, 2011 The FESAC meeting was broadcast live on the Internet and a video record of the meeting including the presentations that were made are currently archived at this site: http://doe.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3 During this meeting FESAC discussed and accepted thereport of its subcommittee, Policies and Procedures for Research Data Dissemination. This completed thecharge on that subject. The committee also discussed the newcharge on possible international collaborations on tokamaks and stellarators abroad, the research modes to facilitate those collaborations, and opportunities for materials science and technology research over for the next 10-20 years. Other presentations that were made during the meeting can be found by going to the agenda link on the left.

March 7-8, 2011

The FESAC meeting was broadcast live on the Internet and a video record of the meeting including the presentations that were made are currently archived at this site: http://doe.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3

March 9-10, 2010

The FESAC Committee of Visitors (COV) presented the findings and recommendations of their review of the FES program.Their report was discussed, several changes were made to the report by FESAC, and then FESAC accepted theCOV reportas modified. Atransmittal letterwas prepared and the COV report was forwarded to the Department. The DOE response to the COV recommendations contained in the report can be found here. Other presentations that were made during the meeting can be found by going to the agenda link on the left.

January 13-14, 2009

FESAC was briefed by its subcommittee on the FESAC-HEDLP Report, discussed the report, voted to accept it, and prepared a letter transmitting the report to DOE in fulfillment of the charge on this project.

November 6-7, 2008

During the meeting the FESAC discussed thecharge for a Committee of Visitors. The Committee also discussed and accepted the finalreport on “Advancing the Science of Alternate Toroidal Magnetic Fusion Concepts” completing the change on this subject. The Committee was briefed on the National Research Council’sreport on its review of the DOE Plan for US Participation in ITER. Links to all other documents presented and discussed during the meeting can found by going to the agenda.

February 19-20, 2008

This meeting was held and possible new charges dealing with developing goals, agreeing on the scientific and technical issues, and opportunities for research on Alternate Concepts and HEDLP were discussed.The materials presented and discussed can be found by clicking on the Agenda.

October 23-24, 2007

FESAC considered, discussed, and accepted three Panel reports to complete the three open charges with which it has been dealing. The letters transmitting the reports can be read here. FSP Letter; the Fusion Simulation Project (FSP) Panel Report; NCSX Letter; the Report of the National Compact Stellarator Experiment Review Committee; and Planning Letter;Priorities, Gaps and Opportunities: Towards a Long-Range Strategic Plan for Magnetic Fusion Energy report.

July 16-17, 2007

The FESAC met to hear interim reports on the two charges on which they are now working. They heard additional reports as shown on the agenda. No final reports came from this meeting but will result from the October 2007 meeting.

March 1-2, 2007

The FESAC met to complete its work on evaluating the FES programs progress toward reaching it performance goals as stated in the Program Assessment Rating Tools. Thefinal Report on this charge is now available. A new charge was presented to FESAC whichcan be read here.PART Letter; Charge;Attachment

October 2006 The first round of the Committee of Visitors reviews has been completed and a report has been published that is a compilation of the three CoV reports issued during this first round. The report titled, Compilation of Reports from the First Round of Committee of Visitors' Reviews of the Fusion Energy Sciences Program, DOE/SC-0098, October 2006 is availablehere.

June 1, 2006

FESAC met to discuss the plan developed by the U.S. Burning Plasma Organization (USBPO) for the participation of U.S. scientists in ITER.10 Year Plan Letter; Attachment; DOE Response

February 28-
March 1, 2006

FESAC discussed and accepted the report of its third Committee of Visitors that dealt with Tokamak research, Diagnostics and Enabling R&D. The report, the transmittal letter, and theDOE response to the report are available by clicking the underlined words. FESAC also discussed and accepted the report of its panel dealing with program's progress toward achieving its PART Measures. The reportand thetransmittal letter are available by clicking the underlined words.

Visit the FESAC Reports Archive page for earlier reports.