“Microsoft has agreed to purchase electricity from Helion's first fusion power plant, scheduled for deployment in 2028: the plant "is expected to be online by 2028 and will target power generation of 50 MW or greater after a 1-year ramp up period."”
Fusion startup led by co-founder and CEO David Kirtley; chaired and backed by Sam Altman
Said May 10, 2023Deadline Dec 31, 2028Helion newsroom, "Helion announces world's first fusion energy purchase agreement with Microsoft," 10 May 2023 (reaffirmed at Orion groundbreaking, 30 July 2025)
Site work on Orion in Chelan County, Washington began in July 2025 and Helion reaffirmed the 2028 date, but in 2026 the company removed the "producing electricity by 2028" language from its website in favor of "begin initial operations in 2028," and a Helion executive conceded at the 2026 FusionX conference that 50 MW full operation will not happen in 2028 (Axios Pro, 8 Sept 2026). Formally unresolved until the end of 2028.