Nucor Corporation announced a collaboration with fusion power company, Helion, to develop a 500 MW fusion power plant. In a press release, the company said this “transformational project” will offer baseload zero-carbon electricity from fusion directly to a Nucor steelmaking facility.
Nucor said it is working together with Helion to set a firm timeline, and both companies are committed to beginning operations as soon as possible with a target of 2030.
Nucor is making a direct investment of $35 million in Helion to accelerate fusion deployment in the United States. According to the company, this is “the first fusion energy agreement of this scale in the world and will pave the way for decarbonizing the entire industrial sector.”
Helion has already constructed six working fusion prototypes, and it is the world's first private fusion company to achieve 100-million-degree plasma temperatures. Currently, the company is building its seventh prototype, Polaris, which is expected to be the first to demonstrate electricity generated from fusion.
"Nucor continues to position itself as a leader in developing clean energy solutions to decarbonize the industrial sector. This agreement with Helion, along with recent investments in clean energy, can change the entire energy landscape and forever change the world, embracing a clean energy future we could have hardly imagined a few years ago," said Leon Topalian, Chair, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Nucor Corporation. "We believe in the technology Helion is building and are proud to make this investment."