Zap Energy announced a partial pivot to add a fission reactor to its portfolio, aiming to deliver grid-ready power for the rapidly expanding AI data-center market. The move is intended to bridge the decade-long gap to commercial fusion while tapping immediate demand. The backdrop is a surge in electricity needs from AI workloads, projected to nearly triple by 2030. Fusion plants are still years away from commercial deployment, whereas fission, particularly small modular reactors (SMRs), is a proven technology that can be scaled more quickly. After raising more than $300 million, Zap Energy plans to base its fission design on the 4S molten-salt system jointly developed by Toshiba and Japan's power industry research institute. The design is noted for having no intellectual-property entanglement. The company expects to generate revenue within a year, largely from federal programs and milestone payments from large energy users. CEO Zabrina Johal explained the strategy, noting that "Fission and fusion are two sides of the same coin." She added, "Our business model is not dependent upon generating electrons," and highlighted that "There will not be enough reactors in the near term." She also compared the potential for milestone payments to how ASML extracted funds from Intel, TSMC, and Samsung for EUV technology. Looking ahead, if Zap Energy can demonstrate early grid integration of its SMR by the early 2030s, it could accelerate fusion development, attract further investment, and build regulatory relationships that will benefit its long-term fusion ambitions.