EPB Quantum Center in the United States Launches IonQ Forte Quantum Computer

en.Wedoany.com Reported - EPB, a municipal utility in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States, has officially commissioned an IonQ Forte Enterprise quantum computer at its Quantum Center, connecting it to the same facility as the commercial quantum network that began operation in 2023. EPB Quantum Center thus simultaneously provides commercial access to both quantum computing and quantum networking, enabling enterprises and research institutions to conduct quantum algorithm development, testing, and application validation on site.

The Forte Enterprise deployed here uses trapped-ion technology, is configured with a total of 36 physical qubits, and has an algorithmic qubit metric of #AQ36. System parameters published by IonQ show single-qubit gate error of approximately 0.02%, two-qubit gate error of approximately 0.4%, a rack-mounted data center deployment structure, and the ability to connect to hybrid computing environments. The system supports a fully connected qubit architecture and is designed for on-site enterprise deployment and quantum-classical hybrid computing tasks.

EPB and IonQ previously signed a US$22 million cooperation agreement, which includes deploying the Forte Enterprise quantum computer in Chattanooga, establishing a local IonQ team, and providing support for quantum computing, quantum networking, application development, and talent training. The two parties will also develop quantum algorithms for power grid optimization, using EPB's existing power network data to test distribution line optimization solutions.

The first users of the new system include the EPB Quantum Computing Fellows. This team is developing quantum algorithms for local distribution line optimization, and once the system is online, it will run the relevant computing tasks directly on the Forte Enterprise. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Vanderbilt University have also joined the EPB quantum cooperation system, with subsequent research directions including energy systems, quantum networking, algorithm development, and quantum talent cultivation.

EPB Quantum Network began operation in 2023 and is a commercial quantum fiber network open to enterprises and research institutions. After the deployment of Forte Enterprise is completed, quantum computing resources and quantum networking resources will be concentrated in the same center, allowing users to purchase quantum computing time and conduct quantum computing, quantum communication, and hybrid technology validation within the same infrastructure.

This year, EPB also established a four-year quantum cooperation mechanism with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, with each side investing US$850,000 annually, for a total investment of US$6.8 million, to be used for applied research, curriculum development, talent training, and technology transfer. The related cooperation will directly use the computing and networking infrastructure of EPB Quantum Center.