Helion Energy's first commercial fusion power plant - Orion officially begins construction to supply power to Microsoft in 2028

On July 30, Helion Energy announced the acquisition of land and the commencement of construction for the world's first fusion power plant—ORION, aiming to deliver 50MW of fusion power to Microsoft by 2028. This also marks an important step forward in the commercial generation of fusion energy.

1. Recent Developments at Helion Energy

Helion Energy was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Everett, Washington, USA. The company is dedicated to developing commercial nuclear fusion power technology to provide zero-carbon, low-cost, sustainable clean energy.

In January of this year, Helion Energy announced the completion of a $425 million Series F funding round, which will be used to expand the commercialization of the company's breakthrough fusion technology. New investors participated in the oversubscribed and scaled-up financing, primarily including Lightspeed Venture Partners, SoftBank Vision Fund, and a major university endowment fund, along with existing investors such as Sam Altman, Mithril Capital, Capricorn Investment Group, Dustin Moskovitz through Good Ventures Foundation, and Nucor. The latest funding round has also propelled Helion Energy to become the third largest in global financing scale, with a valuation reaching $5.425 billion.

According to the latest industry report "The global fusion industry in 2025" released by the Fusion Industry Association (FIA), TAE Technologies and Helion Energy rank second and third respectively in the financing scale of commercial fusion companies. TAE completed a $150 million financing this year, continuing to solidify its second position in cumulative financing scale.

2. Site Selection for the First Fusion Power Plant

At the end of February this year, Helion Energy announced plans to build the world's first nuclear fusion power plant in Malaga, Washington. The project is located on the Chelan County side near the Columbia River, close to the Rock Island Hydroelectric Plant. This location was chosen due to its ease of access to the transmission network and its strong foundation in energy innovation.

On May 13 of this year, Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson signed House Bill 1018 (HB1018), marking a historic step for the state in the field of fusion energy. The bill simplifies the approval process and improves the regulatory framework, paving a "fast track" for the construction of fusion power plants by companies like Helion Energy, and officially positions Washington as a global frontier for fusion energy innovation It is reported that the HB1018 bill officially took effect on July 27, 2025. Washington State is promoting a leap from being a "participant" in fusion energy to a "rule-maker" through the enactment of this series of policies, while also providing a clear regulatory path and approval convenience for companies like Helion Energy, which is expected to accelerate the commercialization of nuclear fusion.

The site for Helion Energy's first commercial fusion power plant is leased from the Chelan County Public Utility District (PUD). Previously, the project passed a comprehensive environmental review process under Washington State's State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and received a Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance (MDNS).

III. Future Outlook

"Today is an important day—not just for Helion Energy, but for the entire nuclear fusion industry—because we are ushering in a new era of energy independence and industrial revival," said David Kirtley, co-founder and CEO of Helion Energy. "Since the company's inception, we have been focused on driving the commercialization of fusion technology, committed to integrating fusion power into the grid. The launch of site construction brings us one step closer to this vision."

Melanie Nakagawa, Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President of Energy, Connectivity, and Sustainability at Microsoft, stated: "In the global pursuit of clean and abundant electricity, nuclear fusion is a promising frontier. Although the path to commercial fusion is still being explored, we are proud to support Helion Energy's pioneering work in Washington State, which is part of our broader commitment to increasing investments in sustainable energy."

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