Helion secures new licenses from Washington

Last week, Everett, Wash., fusion start-up Helion Energy announced that it has received its radioactive materials license and radioactive air emissions license from the state of Washington.

According to the company, these milestones make it "the first company in the world to secure the regulatory licenses needed for a fusion power plant" and represent confirmation that it has the needed facilities, trained personnel, and safety programs in place to safely operate its fusion machine.

The details: Helion secured these licenses for its first commercial power plant, which is named Orion and sited in the town of Malaga, Wash. The company began construction at the site in July 2025 and aims to be on line by 2028. Helion is targeting power generation of 50 MW or greater at the site after one year of ramping up to full power. Microsoft is the planned beneficiary of that electricity; the two companies inked an agreement on the project in 2023. That same year, Helion also launched its community engagement efforts with Chelan County, where Malaga is located.

To date, the county and Helion have held more than 10 public meetings regarding the project, and Helion is currently working with the county's Public Utility District on a transmission interconnection agreement.

With these new permits in hand, Helion is now able to move forward on the construction of its generator building, for which "initial earthwork began in the spring of 2026," according to the company.

Regulatory landscape: Just as this development represents a milestone for Helion, it also represents a milestone for the state of Washington. Following the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's 2023 decision to integrate the regulation of fusion machines into the existing byproduct materials program, the onus fell on each NRC Agreement State to decide how it would regulate fusion machines.

Washington is one of the Agreement States making the most publicly visible strides in developing that regulatory framework. It is joined by states like Tennessee, which announced the implementation of its fusion framework earlier this month.

For its part, in 2024 and 2025, Washington passed two bills (H.B. 1924 and H.B. 1018) which together developed the state's fusion permitting process. Oversight of the facilities is led by the state's Office of Radiation Protection within its Department of Health, which works to ensure that a facility has adequate shielding, safety analyses, operating procedures, maintenance plans, and personnel to safely operate.

If all goes according to plan, Orion will be the first commercial fusion plant to enter operation in Washington (and potentially the world). Helion CEO David Kirtley said, "We have a long history of working with the [Department of Health] 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."