Helion has begun site work in Malaga, Washington, for Orion, the world’s first fusion power plant, keeping the company on schedule to supply electricity to Microsoft under a landmark 2023 power purchase agreement. The Chelan County location was selected for its strong transmission access and long history in energy innovation. Constellation Energy will act as the power marketer for the project.
The site development follows a Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance (MDNS) under Washington’s State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), with Helion continuing to work through final permitting stages. The company has engaged with local stakeholders, Tribal Nations, and government agencies since 2023 to prepare for construction and operation. Helion is leasing the land from the Chelan County Public Utility District.
Helion’s technology roadmap relies on rapid iteration. Its Polaris prototype, the company’s seventh generation, is expected to demonstrate electricity generation from fusion. The prior Trenta prototype achieved a plasma fuel temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius, a key milestone toward commercial viability. Orion is now positioned to demonstrate the first grid-connected fusion electricity by 2028.
• Orion will be the first commercial fusion power plant, built in Chelan County, Washington
• Helion signed the world’s first fusion PPA with Microsoft in 2023
• Constellation Energy serves as power marketer for the agreement
• Polaris prototype expected to be first to produce electricity from fusion
• Trenta prototype achieved 100 million °C plasma fuel temperature
“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.
🌐 Why it Matters: This project is the most advanced commercial fusion effort to date, signaling that fusion may soon move beyond research labs and prototypes into grid-connected deployments. The Microsoft PPA underscores how tech giants are willing to underwrite frontier energy technologies at scale, raising the prospect of more corporate-backed deals that accelerate clean energy innovation.
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