Unlocking this currently requires EM3. So why would I ever consider building this? At that point A3 is right around the corner, which unlocks Energy Beaming, which is (literally) infinitely better.

K2SE places their own fusion reactor at EM2: May I suggest doing the same, for those who don't use K2?

I'll take a look, you get energy beaming at E3A3M3 but you can only use it with steam turbine, you need B4E4A4M4 to get the high temp heat exchanger and turbine. I might move it to Just rework it to E2.

I would add that with k2 nuclear changes, it's also very overwhelming and just not worth it, considering you can't make thermal fluid on planets.

doubled

I don't know why instead ofthe message being edited it's now 2 messages...

I have made it come earlier in tree (E2M1), adjusted recipes to match place in tree, and slightly reduced power output to match its earlier position.

The issue comes with K2 nuclear buff, fusion compared to nuclear is just bad. It has similar size footprint compared to nuclear power. Requires much more materials and is more expensive (except fuel, its dirt cheap) and its cooling solution makes it unviable anywhere but on orbit.

As example normal nuclear is 250MW vs 80MW of fusion reactor... Compared these to we get.
Nuclear vs Fusion
Power: 8 reactors = 3.2gw VS 8 fusion = 2.9gw ---> Less power in similar footprint
Fuel cells: 50Gw (1-235,10-238, 1 steel) Vs 20GJ (1,5 holm plates, 0.7 cryonite, garbage) ---> Cheaper cells in fusion imo
Coolant: Water vs Super coolant --> Water is practically just sending ice, vs coolant that ONLY CAN BE MADE IN SPACE.

Only benefit I see in it is being orbital power source, but considering solar is a thing its not even much of a need there.
Now to the cost of reactor vs fusion full setup.

Fusion ->
3.9K holmium solenoid, 800 blue circuits, 3.9k LDS, 3.9k Heavy Grinder, 7.9k refined concrete, 3.9k heat shielding, 2.3k electric motors.
In basic mats
11k rare metals, 3.9 vulc, 1.7k iridium ingots, 2k holm, 24k steel, 20k iron, 63k copper, 40k glass, 30k stone, 21k coal, 430k petrol gas.

Vs solar 2.9gw flat solar panel (even lower tech kekw)
600 rare metals, ----, 1,2k irid ingots, 1k holm, 38k steel, 12k iron, 83k copper, 91k glass, 20k stone, 29k coal, 570k petrol gas. On top 7.6k immersite crystals.

As you can see solars are infact a bit more expensive on the basic mats and space, however there are 2 more tiers above those and they are infinite and allow to make you dyson swarm at some point. So investment pays off. Anyway, now back to same cost of nuclear reactor.

8.7k rare metals, 600 holmium ing, 1.6k steel, 28k iron, 31k copper, 1.5k glass, 10 stone, 3k coal and 50k of gas.

Like, its practically free compared to insane cost of fusion for no benefit at all...

This is not intended or balanced with k2 in mind, only normal se, and I have no intention to balance it around k2. if your using k2se you already have k2 fusion. You can also ship thermofluid in barrels to use fusion on land, needing only around 1.2 barrels per minute per reactor