World’s First Ever Fusion Power Plant Planned in Malaga

A fusion energy company wants to build the world's first-ever fusion power plant in Malaga.

Helion Energy, based in Everett, is a company focused on fusion energy research with future goals of producing low-cost fusion energy.

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Director of Communications Jessie Barton says Helion will host a Community Event at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 11 at Mission View Elementary School.

"We're looking at developing a 50 megawatt fusion power plant on PUD-owned land near Rock Island Dam on the Chelan County side of the Columbia River," Barton said. "This isn't an official site selection at this point, but we are at the point we are ready to bring in more community members and have a larger conversation about this potential project."

If the permit process goes smoothly, Helion hopes to break ground on the plant this summer and start producing fusion energy by 2028.

Chelan PUD General Manager Kirk Hudson says, from the PUD's point of view, this is part of a larger picture approach to prepare for the future. Namely, its need to invest in clean energy and its ability to adapt.

"The demand for clean energy is not going away and it's only growing," Hudson said. "We have all of our eggs in one basket in hydropower, which has served us very well, but the future is going to be much different than the past has been."

Barton says the energy produced from the plant will go towards fulfilling a purchasing agreement it has with Microsoft at first, but Hudson is hopeful the PUD will be able to offer this energy customers in the future.

Barton did not offer a timeline for when or if Helion energy could be available to Chelan County PUD customers.

"There's room to expand and scale if they are successful," Hudson said. "We would love nothing more than the energy produced in Chelan County to be used in Chelan County and for the citizens of north-central Washington, so that's our future-facing look at this potential opportunity."

Senior Communications Strategist for Chelan PUD Rachel Hansen says that discussion will happen in the future, but the permitting process has to run its course first.

"Once Helion is ready to start construction, we would negotiate an agreement with them that includes a lease," Hansen said. "We don't have any agreements in place yet, but that will be part of the process later."

Barton said Helion expects to hire around 130 employees for the first phase of the process to construct the plant, and expects 30 employees to operate the plant around the clock.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story said the PUD hopes they can offer this energy at market rates. The wording has been changed to reflect better accuracy.