Washington issues two radioactive-material licenses allowing Helion to start generator-building work at planned fusion site

Helion Energy received a Radioactive Materials License and a Radioactive Air Emissions License from the Washington Department of Health. The licenses permit the company to begin construction of the generator building at the Orion fusion power plant site in Malaga, Washington.

The Washington Department of Health stated that the licenses confirm Helion has facilities, personnel, and safety programs meeting safety standards for a fusion facility at the Malaga site.

Assembly and office buildings at the site were completed before the licenses were issued. Helion Energy's Orion reactor is described as the world's first fusion power plant. The company has an agreement to supply 50 MW of power from the reactor to a Microsoft data center by 2028.

"We are extremely proud to be granted these licenses from the Washington DOH, making us the first company in the world with the regulatory approvals in place for fusion power plant operations," said David Kirtley, CEO of Helion Energy. "We have a long history of working with the DOH to license our previous fusion activities.

Today's announcement represents the rigor of that work and opens the door for practical, commercial, safe fusion power," Kirtley said.

Helion Energy also secured a transmission interconnection agreement with Chelan County Public Utility District. The agreement will allow electricity generated at the plant to be supplied to the grid.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulates nuclear fusion under the byproduct material framework rather than as nuclear reactors. U.S. Congress ratified this regulatory approach in the ADVANCE Act of 2024.