Powering Sovereignty: A US Chip Breakthrough Aims to Secure the Grid

ALBANY, NY – August 06, 2026 – In the quiet, high-tech corridors of the Albany Nanotech Complex, a small company has just fired a shot heard across the global semiconductor industry. NoMIS Power Corporation, a specialist in advanced power electronics, announced the successful demonstration of a 6.5 kilovolt (kV) silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET. While the technical specifications are impressive—blocking over 8 kV with minimal resistance—the true significance of this milestone lies not just in the voltage, but in the strategy. This is a deliberate move to build a resilient, domestic supply chain for the components that will underpin America's next-generation energy, defense, and industrial infrastructure.

For years, the conversation around semiconductors has been dominated by the microprocessors in our phones and computers. But a parallel revolution has been brewing in power electronics, the domain of chips that control and convert electrical energy. Here, silicon carbide is the disruptive force, offering vastly superior efficiency, heat tolerance, and power density compared to traditional silicon. As the world electrifies everything from cars to industrial processes and modernizes its power grids, the demand for high-voltage SiC chips is exploding. This announcement from NoMIS Power signals a concerted effort to ensure the United States is not just a consumer, but a foundational producer, of this critical technology.

A Leap in High-Voltage Technology

The technical achievement by NoMIS Power is a significant step forward. Demonstrating that a chip rated for 6.5 kV can withstand surges of over 8 kV showcases a level of engineering robustness that is critical for demanding applications. These are not components for consumer gadgets; they are destined for the heart of multi-megawatt EV charging stations, massive grid-scale power converters, and advanced military systems. The company's roadmap, which now extends from its production-ready 3.3 kV devices to this new 6.5 kV class and future 10 kV and 20 kV platforms, represents a comprehensive high-voltage portfolio.

At the core of this advancement is the company's mature planar SiC platform. Unlike some competitors who use a 'trench' architecture, NoMIS has refined a planar design that it claims scales cleanly to higher voltages while maintaining exceptional reliability. A key concern with SiC MOSFETs has historically been their durability under stress, particularly their short-circuit withstand time (SCWT). Industry sources note that while many SiC devices can only survive a short-circuit for 2-3 microseconds, NoMIS has engineered its platform to endure a minimum of 5 microseconds, a crucial safety margin in high-power systems where failures can be catastrophic.

Furthermore, the company is incorporating innovative designs like the hybrid junction-barrier Schottky FET (JBSFET). This architecture monolithically integrates a diode with the transistor, solving a common degradation issue that can plague SiC devices over their lifetime. For critical systems in aerospace, rail traction, or high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines, where reliability is non-negotiable, this enhanced robustness is a powerful selling point. It transforms the conversation from pure performance to long-term operational assurance.

Fortifying the Domestic Supply Chain

Beyond the technical prowess, the most strategic aspect of NoMIS Power's announcement is its explicit positioning as a U.S.-based, domestic source for high-voltage SiC. This directly addresses a growing vulnerability in the Western world: over-reliance on a handful of, often foreign, suppliers for critical components. In an era of geopolitical friction and supply chain disruptions, securing domestic production of foundational technologies is a matter of national and economic security.

"High-voltage SiC is becoming foundational to data-center, grid, aerospace, and defense power systems, and it should be built at home," stated Dr. Adam Morgan, Co-Founder and CEO of NoMIS Power, in the company's press release. "We're building the domestic source the industry can qualify against."

This mission aligns perfectly with the broader goals of U.S. industrial policy, including the CHIPS and Science Act, which seeks to onshore semiconductor manufacturing. NoMIS Power's devices are flagged as "ITAR- and DFARS-aware," signaling their suitability for the stringent requirements of the U.S. defense industrial base. For a prime defense contractor developing a next-generation radar or a Department of Energy lab building a new grid stabilizer, having a domestic partner that can provide these critical components without navigating complex foreign export controls or single-source risks is a game-changer. The company's existing involvement in programs funded by the Department of Energy and the Department of War (a term suggesting Department of Defense projects) validates this strategy, moving it from aspiration to reality.

Powering the Next Generation of Infrastructure

The impact of this technology will be felt across sectors essential to modern life. The 6.5 kV and 10 kV platforms are enabling technologies for the next wave of infrastructure modernization. In energy, they are critical for building more efficient and compact Solid-State Transformers (SSTs) and HVDC converters, which are essential for creating a resilient, bi-directional national power grid capable of integrating vast amounts of renewable energy.

Perhaps most visibly, this technology will accelerate the transition to electric mobility. The dream of charging an electric vehicle in minutes, not hours, depends on megawatt-scale charging stations. These stations require power electronics that can efficiently handle extremely high voltages, precisely the category NoMIS Power is targeting. The company is already collaborating with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on a DOE-funded project to develop advanced power modules specifically for this purpose, aiming to make high-speed charging more efficient and cost-effective.

In the defense and aerospace sectors, the advantages of high power density are paramount. More efficient and compact power systems mean lighter aircraft, more powerful ship-based systems, and smaller footprints for forward-deployed energy assets. From advanced pulsed power weapons to the electrification of military platforms, a secure supply of high-voltage SiC is a direct contributor to technological overmatch.

NoMIS Power's fabless business model—partnering with various foundries rather than owning its own—provides manufacturing flexibility and an added layer of supply chain security. By engaging with system developers early on design-in, custom ratings, and packaging, the company is not merely selling a component; it is positioning itself as an engineering partner in building the future. As samples of the 6.5 kV MOSFET begin reaching U.S. customers, the real work of integrating this domestic power technology into the systems that will define the next decade begins.