Everett, Wash. – Helion Energy is pursuing a multifaceted strategy, aiming not just to achieve fusion power, but to manufacture it on a commercial scale. The company is simultaneously developing its seventh-generation fusion prototype while constructing a large-scale manufacturing facility – dubbed Omega – near its headquarters in Central Washington.
Helion’s approach centers around building an assembly line to produce the thousands of capacitors needed to deliver massive electrical surges to its fusion generator. This production will fuel the Orion power plant, a 50-megawatt facility in Malaga, Wash. The facility will utilize both human workers and robotics, incorporating both off-the-shelf and custom technology to accelerate the manufacturing process.
‘Helion is a manufacturing company,’ said Sofia Gizzi, Helion’s senior manager of production. ‘It’s not an R&D company. It’s not a science experiment. It’s very much a manufacturing company.’
The Omega facility is crucial to Helion’s strategy, aiming to mitigate supply chain disruptions and quickly adapt to evolving design needs. This approach aligns with a broader effort to restore American production capacity, supported by the bipartisan Fusion Advanced Manufacturing Parity Act, spearheaded by Washington state congressional leaders. The company recently secured $425 million in investment from prominent firms including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nucor.
Helion’s plan involves initially producing approximately 2,500 capacitor units for the Orion plant, with production slated to begin in late 2026. The scale-up is designed to support the construction of subsequent fusion generators, with the facility capable of operating at 50% of its design capacity or less while producing Orion units. Looking ahead to 2030, Helion anticipates a significant expansion in its manufacturing capabilities.