Fusion startup Helion hits blistering temps as it races toward 2028 deadline

2026-02-13 · Source: TechCrunch · Field: Energy & Utilities — Renewable Energy Systems, Nuclear Energy & Advanced Technologies, Emerging Energy Technologies · Depth: Intermediate, short

Summary

Fusion energy startup Helion, based in Everett, Washington, announced its Polaris prototype reactor has achieved plasma temperatures of 150 million degrees Celsius, reaching three-quarters of its target for commercial operation. The company is also the first fusion firm to operate using deuterium-tritium fuel, observing a significant increase in fusion power output as heat. Helion is racing against competitors like Inertia Enterprises, Type One Energy, and Commonwealth Fusion Systems, which have collectively raised over $1.5 billion recently. Unlike most competitors targeting early 2030s, Helion has a contract with Microsoft to deliver electricity by 2028 from its larger Orion commercial reactor, which is currently under construction. Helion's field-reversed configuration reactor design aims for direct electricity generation from fusion reactions, rather than heat extraction, and plans to transition to deuterium-helium-3 fuel, which produces more charged particles optimal for its direct energy recovery method. The company is also developing a closed-loop helium-3 fuel cycle, producing the isotope from deuterium-deuterium reactions.

Key takeaway

For research scientists and engineers developing fusion power systems, Helion's progress with direct electricity generation and its 2028 commercialization target with Microsoft suggest a viable alternative to traditional heat-exchange methods. You should evaluate the efficiency gains of direct energy recovery and the feasibility of a deuterium-helium-3 fuel cycle for future reactor designs, especially given the competitive landscape and significant investment in the sector.

Key insights

Helion achieved 150 million degrees Celsius plasma and deuterium-tritium operation, pursuing direct electricity generation by 2028.

Principles

• Field-reversed configuration enables direct electricity.
• Deuterium-helium-3 fuel optimizes direct energy recovery.

Method

Helion's method involves injecting fuel into an hourglass-shaped chamber, forming plasmas, accelerating them with magnets, and compressing them to 150 million degrees C in under a millisecond to induce electrical current directly.

In practice

• Utilize deuterium-tritium for initial fusion power.
• Develop closed-loop helium-3 fuel cycle.
• Refine reactor circuits for electricity recovery.

Topics

• Fusion Energy
• Helion Reactor Technology
• Direct Energy Conversion
• Deuterium-Helium-3 Fuel
• Commercial Fusion Power

Best for: Investor, Tech Journalist, Research Scientist

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by TechCrunch.