Key facts
- Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) and Helion are developing fusion power plants.
- CFS is building SPARC, a demonstration fusion machine, and plans its first commercial power plant, ARC.
- Helion is developing Orion, a 50-megawatt fusion power plant intended to supply electricity to Microsoft starting in 2028.
- CFS co-founder Brandon Sorbom and Helion founder David Kirtley will speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
- CFS applied to PJM Interconnection in April to connect ARC to the grid.
- Helion announced its Polaris prototype reached 150 million degrees Celsius in February.
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) and Helion are two companies actively working to bring fusion-generated electricity to the grid, moving the long-sought technology closer to commercial reality. Both companies will be represented by their leaders at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where they will discuss the scientific and engineering advancements, as well as the remaining hurdles, in achieving grid-scale fusion power.
CFS, co-founded by Brandon Sorbom in 2018, is developing SPARC, a demonstration fusion machine, as a precursor to its first commercial power plant, ARC. Sorbom, who also holds a Ph.D. in nuclear science and engineering from MIT, leads the company's R&D efforts. In April, CFS took a significant step by applying to PJM Interconnection, the largest U.S. wholesale electricity market, a necessary procedure for eventual grid connection. The company also secured an additional $1 billion in funding in July, bringing its total raised capital to $4 billion.
Helion, founded by David Kirtley, is developing its Orion fusion power plant, a 50-megawatt facility designed to supply electricity to Microsoft starting in 2028. In February, Helion announced that its Polaris prototype successfully heated plasma to 150 million degrees Celsius. The company also reached a key regulatory milestone in June on its path to building and operating the Orion plant. Helion's Series G funding round, initially announced at $465 million, closed at $500 million in September.
Sorbom and Kirtley's participation in the "Bringing Fusion to the Grid" session at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will offer insights into the transition from academic research and scientific milestones to the practicalities of delivering reliable fusion power to customers. The event is scheduled for October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco.