
[2047-2080  The E-Grid]

By 2047, the world's first fusion reactor with a positive net
power output was successfully tested in Tokyo. Although the news
came as an astonishment to the energy community, the media and
public reaction was one of disinterest. Several times before
nuclear fusion had been announced only later to be disproved.
Further, the advent of fusion had been anticipated for next to a
century, so that when it finally came about, people wondered only
that it had taken so long for science to accomplish. Without
going into the technical reasons for the delays, it can be stated
with some accuracy that it was only until the middle 40's that
the technological components for the nuclear fuser were at hand.

   Several nations began extending their national energy grids,
exporting inexpensive electricity to the third world by way of
power lines or energy capacitors. The boost in world productivity
was astounding, and with the energy crisis finally licked, the
major stresses inciting conflict between nations were for a time
relieved. In 2080, the national energy grids of the nine super
powers and twenty-seven other states joined together in an
energy confederation under the auspices of the United Nations.
The World E-Grid was born.

