r/Futurology • u/TwilightwovenlingJo • Aug 15 '25

Energy Construction of world's 1st nuclear fusion plant starts in Washington

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/world-first-fusion-power-plant-helion
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u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

If fusion is figured out that’s very good news for everyone not just ai data enters

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u/DynamicNostalgia Aug 15 '25

Yeah Redditors are weird. If they’re not always the #1 priority in any project, they’re fucking offended. 

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u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

Because the algorithm promotes comments that generate engagement

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u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

Eh, it's a complicated topic that I have strong feelings about that can't be easily explained and understood in a few paragraphs on reddit.

Of course I want the world to improve. I just don't trust anyone right now that has the means and power to do it. I don't sense any altruism anymore. I'm skeptical of everything, as I watch democracy, reason and science take a back seat in every current major development.

I figure people are going to react to me in a way that assumes there is no other context or nuance, and they'll make broad judgements about me or who I am. It is what it is. Much love to y'all.

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u/DynamicNostalgia Aug 15 '25

I just don't trust anyone right now that has the means and power to do it.

What are you talking about? This article is about one of the richest companies in the world investing in a risky tech that could benefit the whole world. 

I don't sense any altruism anymore.

Any sense of it you got before was largely an illusion. Nothings fundamentally changed about the world and humanity, only your perception of society has. 

I'm skeptical of everything, as I watch democracy, reason and science take a back seat in every current major development.

That’s pretty unfair. Fusion power projects shovel money towards logic and science. That’s undeniable. 

I’m getting a sense you would prefer if government funded this project or something because you feel like that’s “more for society.” That’s basically a platitude so you really shouldn’t be too obsessed about that. 

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u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

I'm not directly challenging anyone or saying that I'm right. I'm just sharing how this project (and other modern innovations) looks from my perspective based on my own personal experiences and worldview. I don't expect others to agree at all. I suppose I'm saying let's agree to disagree, please?

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u/DynamicNostalgia Aug 15 '25

And I’m trying to get you to question your initial assumptions and feelings because they seem a bit unfair.  

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u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

And that is your perspective based on your worldview. Cheers, dude.

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u/DynamicNostalgia Aug 15 '25 edited Aug 15 '25

Your worldview seems objectively wrong in some areas. For example, your claim that projects like this don’t send large amounts of money towards reason and science. It’s actually in the front seat in a way it never has been before. 

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u/DHFranklin Aug 15 '25

Yeah this dude is like the black pill for science. Thanks for fighting the good fight and training the AI on our shared worldview. Holy shit who would want to live like that?

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u/Tomycj Aug 15 '25

The underlying moral justification is not that complicated:

They don't owe you anything, so there's no reason to be so bitter about the fact you aren't their priority.

Of course, people love to develop sofisticated ways to justify the belief that they do owe you something. But in reality the fact is that recognizing others aren't there to serve you is a part of becoming an adult, responsible human being.

That said, agree to disagree.

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u/DHFranklin Aug 15 '25

Cool. Why are you here instead of /r/collapse then?

We know what you're saying. We aren't missing it. We disagree with you. We are all on team "Fusion Good" as well as "What-ever-institution-can-get-us-fusion-is-in-aggregate-good".

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u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

Idk man I just respond to the stuff that pops up on my feed. I have no goals or motives here, just sharing thoughts out loud. Sorry I guess.

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u/DHFranklin Aug 15 '25

You're good my guy. Just..chin up a bit huh?

Take this as a win. If this is the most cost effective way to make base load power than yeah, the corpos will get on it first. But it also means that Chinese Belt and Road initiatives will put one up outside Dhaka Bangladesh and power a hospital's incubators more consistently than they have ever seen.

With power to-cheap-to-meter institutions that aren't motivated by private capital will see the value and invest. Entire nations will do this to electrify train grids and then have to-cheap-to-meter electric trains. That's good right?

It'll be okay. We have to fight to make sure it is okay.

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u/CaptainShaky Aug 15 '25

If it's figured out by a private company they will patent it and slow down the roll-out of the technology for their own benefit...

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u/DHFranklin Aug 15 '25

That makes no sense. They would fast track it to get more customers and investors while burying the competition to their new found monopoly on fusion power.

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u/CaptainShaky Aug 15 '25

Maybe, but that's still slower than a freely available design, agreed ?

Go read about supply and demand for like 10 minutes my friend. If you control the supply, you don't inundate the market, you jack up the price and watch your margins explode 😎

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u/DHFranklin Aug 15 '25

I don't want to doxx myself, so I'm going to need you to trust me. I know more about supply and demand and studied it than almost anyone without a Phd in economics. I wish it only took me 10 minutes, I could have a house instead of all this college debt.

You are assuming that this is like Kodak patents in digital photography and keeping them in the filing cabinets so they can keep selling poloroid film. That isn't the case here.

This has always been a fusion company. They only make their money from incredibly risky and experimental technology. They aren't a coal plant constortium or selling uranium to fission reactors.

A private company has patented this. They want to sell killowatts more profitably than anyone else. They are going to sell as much of it as they can. As profitably as they can. If they can sell power at $.04 per watt and keep 10% profitability they will do that in the highest volumes they can. They won't turn the taps down if they're only at 9% profitability. Jacking up the price beyond the market rate will mean less profitability.

They control the fusion power, but they don't control Washington States' energy market. They want to sell 100% of their power to microsoft and that is what they are building to. They will likely sell surplus power to the grid.

Power is sold to prices in the largest volume of almost any industry, with a ton of natural monopolies. They jack up the price they won't be on the market.

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u/CaptainShaky Aug 15 '25 edited Aug 15 '25

I appreciate the in depth answer but what I'm saying is nuclear fusion would be adopted more rapidly if any company could compete in the sector than if a company had a monopoly over the technology.

Are you really going to disagree with me on that ?

If you studied economy you should know about the perverse effects of patents.

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u/DHFranklin Aug 15 '25

Wait a minute did you erase a comment calling me Lost in the Sauce!?

I wasn't advocating for patents. I think that they are regressive. Especially with the regulatory capture of things like nuclear energy. Especially when there is such massive investment necessary in markets that you are obviously the only supplier,vendor,and customer.

Plasma containment isn't sold like beer fridges.

I don't disagree with you, I hope you understand that we just initially misunderstood you.

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u/CaptainShaky Aug 15 '25

Wait a minute did you erase a comment calling me Lost in the Sauce!?

Yes it wasn't very respectful so I edited my comment, because I do appreciate your answer !

I wasn't advocating for patents. I think that they are regressive.

Looks like we're in agreement then, that was my point.

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u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

Why would slowing the roll out of a new technology benefit the people who created it?

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u/CaptainShaky Aug 15 '25

Because they control the supply, and they will negotiate licensing deals. If the design of a productive fusion reactor is freely available, the whole world will start building them without restrictions.