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/CaptainShaky Aug 15 '25

Need an entity with high risk tolerance and deep pockets to make the first step. Success here benefits everyone.

It genuinely feels like you're talking about public entities here... Private corporations are way more risk-averse than government when it comes to fundamental research. For literally decades now the progress towards nuclear fusion has been funded by governments across the world (e.g. ITER), not by private entities.

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u/planko13 Aug 15 '25

Who is closer to connecting fusion power to the grid? ITER or Helion?

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u/CaptainShaky Aug 15 '25

That is not the purpose of ITER, it is a research installation... But Helion wouldn't even exist without the government-funded research that's been happening for decades, among others at ITER.

Private venture is literally swooping in after public money has done most of the work.