EVERETT — The CEO of an Everett-based fusion energy company said legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson on Tuesday will help his company clear potential hurdles to build the world’s first commercial fusion power plant.
Helion CEO David Kirtley said the fusion energy facilities bill approved by the governor will give the Everett company the option of presenting plans for a clean-energy power plant to the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council. If the group recommends the site, it would go to the governor’s desk for approval, bypassing any local community opposition.
The Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council has already granted site approval, backed by past governors, to solar and wind farm operators against local community opposition, a review of state records shows.
The council’s website says the group balances the broad interests of the public while looking at issues like the state’s needs for energy and the protection of the environment in determining whether projects are approved.
“The move de-risks regulatory uncertainty in the state and, ultimately, will prove helpful as Helion sets its sights on building the world’s first fusion power plant in the state we call home,” Kirtley posted on LinkedIn after the bill was signed.
Kirtley said the bill ensures fusion energy has the same “permitting optionality” as all other clean energy companies in the state.
Helion officials begin conducting a one-year feasibility study in April on building its plant in Malaga in Central Washington.
Tom Bugert, Helions deputy director of state and local affairs, said in a statement Tuesday that the company is also looking at other sites in the state of Washington. He did not offer additional details.
After he signed the bill Tuesday, Ferguson touted Helion’s new ability to build a power plant as a positive for the environment.
“This bill future positions our state as a global leader in clean energy and the emerging fusion industry,” he said.
Helion’s fusion technology is in the working stages, and skeptics of fusion power say implementation could be years away. However, Helion agreed to provide Microsoft with a minimum of 50 megawatts of power for its data centers starting in 2028.
Helion received $425 million in new funding in January to expand its goal of building nuclear plants using fusion energy.
The company has raised more than $1 billion for its efforts to deliver carbon-free electricity without the drawbacks of traditional nuclear power, such as radioactive waste.
A who’s who of tech investors for Helion include Open AI CEO Sam Altman, Japanese investment firm’s SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz through the Good Ventures Foundation, Mithril Capital and the Capricorn Investment Group.
Helion employs 550 workers in Everett.
Randy Diamond: 425-339-3097; randy.diamond@heraldnet.com.
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