OpenAI Negotiates Fusion Energy Deal With Helion Energy

OpenAI is negotiating an energy agreement with Sam Altman's investment, Helion Energy, to secure carbon-free electricity for its large-scale AI models. The proposed deal would grant OpenAI approximately 12.5% of Helion's production, providing 5 gigawatts by 2030 and scaling to 50 gigawatts by 2035.

To avoid conflicts of interest, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI and Helion's largest individual investor with an estimated $375 million stake, resigned from Helion's board of directors and recused himself from the negotiations. Helion CEO David Kirtley acknowledged the integral role Altman played in the company's development over the last decade.

While Helion recently achieved a plasma temperature of 150 million degrees Celsius with its Polaris prototype in February 2026, the company has yet to achieve net electricity generation at a commercial scale. Helion already maintains a power purchase agreement with Microsoft, with deliveries expected to begin in 2028.