Fusion Power by 2028? Helion Aims for Microsoft

Helion Energy, a nuclear fusion start-up backed by OpenAI's Sam Altman, maintains it is on schedule to provide electricity to Microsoft by 2028, despite significant industry skepticism. The company is working to replicate the Sun's fusion reaction, a process that forces atomic nuclei to combine in superheated plasma. Though US government scientists have achieved net energy gain, no startup has yet commercialized fusion power. Helion, valued at $5.4 billion, faces scrutiny over its aggressive timeline, with some rivals questioning its approach to managing high-energy neutrons.

Helion has stated it is developing a specialized material to address neutron damage. However, criticisms point to a lack of detailed scientific disclosure, which the company attributes to protecting intellectual property. Helion's generator for Microsoft, being built in Washington state, will be a smaller, sub-scale unit. Separately, Helion has an agreement with Nucor for a 500-megawatt power plant by 2030. The competitive landscape in fusion suggests Helion has not yet established a definitive lead.

Helion's design differs from most power plants by aiming for direct electricity generation from magnetic field changes as plasma expands, potentially increasing efficiency. This approach is considered a significant advancement by some investors. The company is testing a pre-commercial machine to demonstrate electricity generation from fusion, though specific progress on energy break-even remains undisclosed.