Princeton Plasma Innovation Center (PPIC) rendering The Princeton Plasma Innovation Center (PPIC) timeline of milestone events is listed below. 2020 jul Preliminary plans July 2020: PPPL unveils preliminary plans for the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center. 2020 sep Project approval September 2020: An independent panel recommends approval of early design funding for PPIC. 2021 jan Approval to move forward January 2021: The U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Systems Acquisition Board approves plans to move forward with PPIC. Architects from the SmithGroup: From left: Adam Denmark, vice president, science and technology strategist and director of lab planning; Sven Shockey, vice president, design director; and Tom Faucette, principal and science and technology studio leader. (Photo by Jeanne Jackson DeVoe/Collage by Elle Starkman) 2022 jul First meeting with architects July 2022: PPPL holds its first meeting with architects from the SmithGroup to discuss design. PPPL launches project to build the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center: a state-of-the-art office and laboratory building 2022 dec Funding from the Department of Energy December 2022: PPPL receives $10 million in funding from the Department of Energy’s Office of Science after the U.S. Congress approves the FY2023 appropriations bill. Combined with funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, this amounts to a $27.9 million budget for PPIC. 2023 jan January & March 2023: Building design workshops are held with key stakeholders. 2023 jun June 2023: PPPL and SmithGroup finalize 30% of the building design. 2023 jul Design for Princeton Plasma Innovation Center is 30% complete PPPL presents its plans to an independent panel of reviewers from the Department of Energy for the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center (PPIC), a new building that will revamp the PPPL campus and provide a cutting-edge, modern laboratory, collaboration and office space. Read more... 2023 sep Design for Princeton Plasma Innovation Center is 60% complete The PPIC team presents its 60% design to an independent panel of reviewers from the Department of Energy. 2024 feb Preparing for construction PPPL receives permission to use $10 million in funding from Princeton University to prepare for construction, including site preparation, clearing, and associated utility changes.Read more... 2024 mar Site preparation Site preparation activities begin. 2024 may Groundbreaking Event PPPL celebrates the kick off of the project. Read more 2024 jun Demolition Demolition and site work begins. 2024 aug Independent review Project is presented to an independent panel of reviewers. 2024 nov Geothermal Well Drilling With demolition complete, drilling of the 500-foot-deep, 6-inch wide geothermal wells begins. A geothermal drilling rig digs wells 500 feet into the ground at PPPL in January 2025. (Photo credit: Michael Livingston / PPPL Communications Department) 2025 feb Geothermal Well Drilling Complete PPPL finishes digging around 70 geothermal wells that will serve as a “geothermal” piggybank, extracting and storing heat in summer and providing heat in winter to heat and cool the building more efficiently. Read more PPPL Emergency Services Unit staff and Plainsboro Township firefighters extricate unresponsive drill “victims” from the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center evacuation site. (Photo by Jeanne Jackson DeVoe / PPPL Communications Department) 2025 apr The PPIC project team initiates a mock "emergency event" at the construction site to evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency and interoperability between the Lab, its subcontractors and local mutual aid. More than 100 wells were added to the PPIC site, which will store heat in the summer and provide heat in the winter. (Photo credit: Michael Livingston / PPPL Communications Department) 2025 may Additional geothermal wells are added to the site thanks to funding from Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies. View Timelapse Video
