Sam Altman-backed fusion startup Helion in talks to sell power to OpenAI
Why it matters: This could accelerate the timeline for commercial fusion power, fueling AI's massive energy demands with zero-carbon electricity.
- Sam Altman is stepping down from Helion's board chair, a move Helion's CEO David Kirtley confirmed to TechCrunch, enabling potential future partnerships with OpenAI.
- OpenAI is reportedly in early talks to purchase 12.5% of Helion's power production, targeting five gigawatts by 2030 and 50 gigawatts by 2035, as reported by Axios.
- Helion has not confirmed new customer agreements beyond Microsoft and Nucor to TechCrunch, but the reported figures suggest an unprecedented scale-up, requiring 800 reactors by 2030 and 7,200 by 2035.
- Microsoft already signed a deal with Helion in 2023 to buy power starting in 2028, indicating a growing interest from major tech players in Helion's unique magnetic-conversion fusion approach.
- Helion's reactor design uses magnets to directly convert fusion energy into electricity, a different approach from most startups that harvest heat for steam turbines, positioning them years ahead if successful.
Sam Altman is stepping down as board chair of Helion, the fusion startup he backs, as the company reportedly enters early talks to sell a significant portion of its future power production to OpenAI. This potential deal, following a similar agreement with Microsoft, underscores Helion's ambitious timeline for commercial fusion power, aiming for 50 gigawatts by 2035, far ahead of competitors.
