In a major leap toward commercial fusion energy, Washington-based Helion has begun site work on its first fusion power plant, Orion. The move marks a defining moment for both Helion and its key partner, Microsoft.
In 2023, Helion signed the world’s first power purchase agreement (PPA) for fusion energy, committing to supply electricity to Microsoft once the plant is operational. Located in Chelan County, Washington, the site was selected for its easy access to power transmission and its legacy of energy innovation.
This project represents a significant step in Helion’s mission to bring fusion electricity to the grid by 2028. Constellation Energy will serve as the power marketer. Now, with construction efforts underway, Helion is staying on track to meet the 2028 target.
Helion’s Fusion Breakthrough: A Clean Energy Milestone
Fusion energy—the process that powers the sun—has long been viewed as the ultimate solution to the world’s energy needs. It offers virtually unlimited, clean energy without carbon emissions or long-lived radioactive waste. If Helion succeeds in delivering fusion electricity to the grid, it could mark a paradigm shift in how the world powers itself.
Over the past decade, Helion has built six fusion prototypes and made steady technical progress through rapid iteration and testing. Its sixth machine, Trenta, made history by achieving a fuel temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius—considered the minimum threshold for fusion to become commercially viable.
Now, Helion is constructing its seventh and most advanced prototype, Polaris. This machine is expected to go further than any before it: demonstrating not just fusion reactions, but also the first electricity produced directly from fusion.
Polaris: A Critical Step Toward Commercial Fusion
Polaris represents a major step in Helion’s roadmap to build a zero-carbon fusion generator. It will improve upon previous machines in several key ways:
- Higher Frequency Pulses: Polaris is designed to pulse faster than Trenta, allowing more frequent fusion reactions.
- Stronger Magnetic Fields: Enhanced magnets will provide improved plasma confinement, essential for sustaining the extreme conditions needed for fusion.
- Direct Electricity Generation: Unlike traditional fusion designs that rely on steam turbines, Polaris is built to demonstrate direct electricity generation from fusion reactions, a critical innovation for scalable deployment.
If successful, Polaris will become the first fusion machine—public or private—to show that fusion can generate electricity in a compact system. Its success will provide the foundation for Orion, the first commercial-scale plant aiming to deliver fusion electricity to Microsoft and the wider grid.
From Permits to Power: Orion Prepares to Energize the Grid
Helion began building the Orion facility on leased land from the Chelan County Public Utility District. The project cleared Washington’s rigorous environmental review process, receiving a Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance (MDNS) under SEPA guidelines.
Since 2023, Helion has actively collaborated with government agencies, Tribal Nations, and local stakeholders to prepare for the construction and operation phases. The company’s transparent approach to permitting and community engagement has helped smooth the path for the project.
After a one-year ramp-up period, the fusion power plant is expected to generate at least 50 megawatts (MW) of electricity. If successful, the Orion project could fast-track fusion’s role in global clean energy supply—years ahead of other industry projections.
Microsoft’s Energy Shift: From Solar to Fusion and Fission
Helion’s fusion energy isn’t the only clean power solution Microsoft is betting on. As the tech giant races to meet its ambitious climate goals to become carbon negative by 2030, it has also turned to traditional nuclear energy. The growing power demands of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing have made constant, reliable energy a top priority.
While wind and solar remain crucial parts of Microsoft’s strategy but their intermittency creates challenges for powering massive data centers around the clock.
That’s where nuclear energy enters the equation. Microsoft has invested in multiple nuclear projects, including a 20-year PPA to purchase power from the restarted Three Mile Island nuclear facility in Pennsylvania. This deal alone will supply over 800MW of carbon-free electricity to Microsoft’s operations starting in 2028.
AI and the Rising Demand for Energy
Microsoft’s clean energy push is largely driven by surging electricity needs tied to AI development and cloud infrastructure. Industry analysts expect data center energy use to double by 2028, fueled by generative AI technologies and hyperscale computing. Between 2020 and now, Microsoft’s total energy use rose by 168%, driven by a 71% increase in revenue and significant expansion in its cloud operations.
At the same time, Microsoft’s emissions have gone up by 23.4% compared to its 2020 baseline. While this rise is modest relative to the company’s operational growth, it underscores the difficulty of decarbonizing at scale. Fusion and nuclear energy offer Microsoft a path forward—delivering stable, 24/7 clean electricity that wind and solar alone can’t guarantee.
Supporting Innovation and Clean Energy Leadership
The tech giant is becoming a leader in reshaping the nuclear and fusion energy industry. The company signed its first large-scale nuclear PPA with the Crane Clean Energy Center in 2024. That agreement will enable the restart of an 835MW nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, retired in 2019. The plant’s return will inject new clean energy into the PJM power grid, one of the largest in the U.S. and critical to Microsoft’s East Coast data centers.
By partnering with emerging fusion firms like Helion and supporting small modular reactor (SMR) projects, Microsoft is also fueling innovation in next-generation nuclear technologies. These efforts don’t just benefit Microsoft—they send a strong signal to markets, encouraging other corporations to invest in scalable, zero-carbon power solutions.
In fact, Microsoft’s influence is already visible across the energy sector. Its clean energy strategy is helping revive shuttered nuclear facilities, create local jobs, and guide public policy toward advanced carbon-free solutions.
Economic and Community Benefits
The economic ripple effects of Microsoft’s nuclear partnerships are expected to be substantial. Reviving plants like Three Mile Island will bring billions of dollars in investment and long-term job creation to surrounding communities. These projects also help maintain grid stability as power demand continues to grow.
Moreover, Helion’s Orion project could turn Chelan County into a global showcase for fusion innovation. If Polaris succeeds in producing electricity, Helion would not only lead the private fusion race but also bring global attention to the Pacific Northwest as a clean tech hub.
How Big Tech Is Reshaping the Clean Energy Landscape
Alongside Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta are the hyperscalers driving renewable and nuclear energy adoption. As projected by S&P Global Insights, collectively, these tech giants have amassed more than 84 gigawatts of clean energy capacity across 29 countries. This scale is transforming global corporate energy markets, shifting clean energy from a sustainability perk to a business necessity.
Additionally, Microsoft has also joined influential advocacy groups like the Fusion Industry Association and the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council (USNIC), strengthening its voice in policy and industry discussions around the future of energy.
The partnership between Helion and Microsoft is more than a fusion pilot—it’s a turning point for nuclear energy innovation. As the Orion plant moves forward, it could accelerate the arrival of commercial fusion while giving Microsoft a reliable, zero-carbon energy source to support its rapidly growing AI infrastructure.
