Science 3115766 1380 (2005)
"Fusion Power: Will It Ever Come?"
The cost of the neutron absorber blanket for a 1 GW-electrical controlled thermonuclear fusion power plant is conservatively estimated to be $1.8 billion, or $1800/kWe of rated capcity. The blanket costs all by themselves exceed an entire nuclear fission power plant, including fuel and spent fuel storage.
The capital cost of building a fusion power plant is conservatively estimated to be $(US)0.36/kW-hr for its nominal lifetime. If you want to run it, output energy will cost considerably more, wholesale. That doesn't include any profits, folks - or any Enviro-whiner lawsuits for leaking tritium.
Canadian hydro is about $(US)0.05/kW-hr for the retail consumer. The worst US electrical costs are about $0.15/kW-hr for the retail consumer.
Fusion power will be too cheap to meter! In reality, you couldn't afford even the meter.
