A New Energy Era Breaks Ground
There’s a reason for optimism in the world of clean energy: Helion Energy has broken ground in Malaga, Washington, on what could become the world’s first commercial fusion power plant. For decades, fusion—sometimes referred to as the energy of the sun—has been a tantalizing but elusive dream. Now, with shovels in the ground and real infrastructure going up, fusion power is finally on the brink of reality.
Fusion promises limitless, clean power by fusing atomic nuclei at extreme temperatures, producing none of the long-lived radioactive waste typical of conventional nuclear plants. Still, the road here hasn’t been easy. While the physics is well-understood, engineering a system that outputs more energy than it consumes has challenged even the brightest minds.
Technology and Vision: The Orion and Polaris Projects
Helion’s new facility, Orion, stands out for several reasons. Situated strategically near the Columbia River’s robust power grid and a cluster of tech-driven data centers, the plant already has its first customer—Microsoft—under a power purchase agreement that will see it receiving at least 50 megawatts of clean electricity by 2028.
What makes Helion’s technology unique? Instead of using the typical steam turbines found in most nuclear or fossil plants, Helion’s direct energy recovery system harnesses electricity straight from the reaction. The process involves rapidly compressing plasma to trigger fusion, then transforming the resulting energy directly into usable electricity.
The company’s current working prototype, Polaris—their seventh iteration—will demonstrate net electricity from fusion as soon as this year. This is a leap forward from their previous Trenta reactor, which achieved plasma temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius, a crucial fusion milestone. The next steps include integrating Polaris’ technology into Orion for continuous operation.
Ambition, Funding, and the Microsoft Deal
If you’re wondering who’s backing this ambitious play—the answer is a mix of heavyweights. Helion has raised more than $1 billion, attracting VCs and tech industry leaders including Sam Altman, with support from firms like SoftBank and Y Combinator.
The partnership with Microsoft is especially notable. In 2023, the tech giant signed the world’s first fusion-based power purchase agreement, betting on fusion to help feed the massive and growing energy demand of AI-powered data centers. For Microsoft, this isn’t just about energy—it’s about leading the transition to carbon-free electricity, a core part of its climate goals.
Skepticism and Challenge on the Road to Commercialization
Despite the groundbreaking ceremony, some experts remain skeptical. The industry’s long history of ambitious claims that don’t always deliver results has left many observers cautious. Even so, there’s a growing consensus that if any company can bridge the gap between laboratory breakthroughs and commercial fusion power, Helion—with its rapid prototyping culture and business-first mindset—could be the one to do it.
What’s Next for Fusion—and for the Energy Industry?
If Orion succeeds, it wouldn’t just mean another power station. It could represent a leap toward energy independence, industrial renewal, and real progress in decarbonizing industries that have so far struggled to cut emissions. As demand for clean, always-on electricity surges, especially from AI and cloud computing, Helion’s bet on fusion could fundamentally transform how we power our digital future.
It’s easy to focus on the hype—or the skepticism. But with real construction underway and tangible milestones on the horizon, Helion’s fusion project marks a historic moment for the energy world. Whether fusion will finally break free of its “30-years-away” joke remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the race for clean, limitless power just got real, and the world is watching.
