On Moonshots with Peter Diamandis, one speaker argued that hyperscalers could win communities over with cheaper power, school programs and better-looking buildings. A fellow panelist replied that the fight has already been politicized beyond what benefits can fix — and the viral water figures at the center of it describe the whole country, not the town being asked to host the building.
Helion is targeting initial plant operation in 2028, followed by a ramp-up to at least 50 megawatts under its Microsoft agreement. On Moonshots, energy investor Ramez Naam explained what still separates encouraging fusion experiments from dependable electricity: whole-plant energy gain, durable components and a price customers can afford.
Ramez Naam sees AI demand as a powerful source of nuclear financing, but doubts new small reactors can supply electricity within the five-year window he considers reasonably predictable for investment. His argument turns on what can be delivered sooner—and whether repeated construction and factory production can make later plants cheaper.