That 1.8 Mj is the energy in the laser output. I haven’t looked at the numbers for a while, but it probably takes 10x that much energy to operate the laser faci

That 1.8 Mj is the energy in the laser output. I haven’t looked at the numbers for a while, but it probably takes 10x that much energy to operate the laser facility. A commercial fusion power plant will never exist. And it’s no accident that the article doesn’t mention the laser efficiency. NIF has a public relations office that has honed its game over decades. Their purpose is to influence Congress by selective reporting through press releases and by feeding propaganda into articles like this.