Fusion Milestone: 150 Million Degrees Achieved!

Helion, a fusion energy startup based in Everett, Washington, has achieved a critical milestone by heating plasmas within its Polaris prototype reactor to 150 million degrees Celsius. This temperature represents three-quarters of the heat needed for commercial fusion power plant operation.

In a groundbreaking development, Helion has become the first fusion company to operate using deuterium-tritium fuel. CEO David Kirtley stated this allowed for a dramatic increase in fusion power output in the form of heat.

Helion's unique field-reversed configuration reactor design injects fuel into an hourglass-shaped chamber, creating plasmas that are then compressed by magnets to extreme temperatures in under a millisecond.

Instead of relying on heat extraction, Helion generates electricity directly by harnessing the magnetic field produced by the fusion reaction itself. This method aims for greater efficiency compared to competitors.

The company plans to transition to a deuterium-helium-3 fuel cycle in the future, which produces more charged particles suited for direct electricity generation. Helium-3 is not abundant on Earth, requiring Helion to produce its own through deuterium-on-deuterium reactions.

While many fusion startups target the early 2030s for grid power, Helion has a contract with Microsoft to begin supplying electricity in 2028. This power will come from their larger Orion commercial reactor, currently under construction, not the Polaris prototype.