US-based fusion energy company Helion has begun work on the site of its first fusion power plant, Orion. The site, in Chelan County, Washington, was chosen for its ready access to transmission and legacy of energy innovation.
Helion is building on land leased from the Chelan County Public Utilities District. This followed a Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance through Washington’s comprehensive environmental review process based on the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). Since 2023, Helion has been engaging with local and state stakeholders including government agencies, Tribal Nations, and the general public to prepare for a siting and permitting decision. In 2023, Helion announced the world’s first fusion power purchase agreement (PPA) that will provide energy from the plant to Microsoft by 2028, with Constellation Energy serving as power marketer.
Helion’s approach of rapid iteration and testing has enabled the company to make steady progress toward a commercial fusion machine. Its 7th-generation prototype, Polaris, is expected to demonstrate the first electricity produced from fusion. With its previous prototype, Trenta, Helion was the first private company to achieve a fuel temperature of 100m degrees Celsius, which is generally considered the required operating temperature for a commercial fusion power plant.
“Today is an important day – not just for Helion, but for the entire fusion industry – as we unleash a new era of energy independence and industrial renewal,” said David Kirtley, Helion’s co-founder and CEO. “Since we founded the company, we have been completely focused on preparing fusion technology for commercialization and getting electrons on the grid. Starting site work brings us one step closer to that vision.”
According to Kirtley, Orion serves as an important milestone on that path, enabling us to deliver at least 50 MW of carbon-free electricity to fusion’s first customer, Microsoft. “What excites me most is that, for the first time in history, a fusion power plant has successfully completed a rigorous environmental review with positive determination and strong public support…. Fusion is no longer a dream, it’s happening now. And we’re just getting started!”
