Helion clears key regulatory milestone on the path to building and operating the world's first fusion power plant

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https://www.helionenergy.com/newsroom/helion-clears-key-regulatory-milestone-on-the-path-to-building-and-operating-the-worlds-first-fusion-power-plant

With Washington State DOH licenses in place, Helion moves closer to delivering commercial fusion power

EVERETT, Wash. – June 16, 2026 – Helion, a Washington-based fusion energy company, today became the first company in the world to secure the regulatory licenses needed for a fusion power plant, following receipt of two licenses from the Washington Department of Health (DOH). The licenses – Radioactive Materials License (RML) and Radioactive Air Emissions License (RAEL) – mark a major milestone for the company, confirming Helion has the facilities, trained personnel, and safety programs in place at its Orion facility in Malaga, WA, to meet the rigorous safety standards required for fusion operations.

These licenses demonstrate Helion’s commitment to engaging early and often with state regulators to ensure compliance with system requirements. They enable Helion to continue building on the site of Orion, the world’s first fusion power plant.

“We are extremely proud to be granted these licenses from the Washington DOH, making us the first company in the world with the regulatory approvals in place for fusion power plant operations,” said David Kirtley, CEO of Helion Energy. “We have a long history of working with the DOH to license our previous fusion activities. Today’s announcement represents the rigor of that work and opens the door for practical, commercial, safe fusion power.”

The Washington DOH is the licensing body for fusion power in the state, following the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s decision to regulate fusion under the byproduct material framework, alongside particle accelerators and hospitals, rather than like nuclear fission reactors. This distinction, codified by Congress in the bipartisan ADVANCE Act of 2024, reflects fusion’s fundamentally different safety profile and enables a right-sized path to deployment. Washington’s pathway was strengthened by bipartisan state legislation in 2024 and 2025 – HB 1924 and HB 1018 – that clarified fusion’s role in clean energy policy and provided permitting certainty for fusion power plants.

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