OpenAI in Talks with Nuclear Fusion Startup Helion on Large-Scale Power Purchase Agreement, Altman's Energy Alchemy

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has resigned from his board position at fusion startup Helion Energy, ending over 10 years of directorship. At the same time, OpenAI is negotiating a large-scale power purchase agreement with Helion, aiming for 50 GW capacity by 2035.
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According to TechCrunch, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced his resignation from Helion Energy’s board, ending his more than 10-year tenure since 2015.

The direct reason for his resignation is straightforward: OpenAI is negotiating a large-scale power purchase agreement with Helion. Since Altman holds dual roles as a director of both OpenAI and Helion, this has become “unsustainable.”

Altman posted on X that he will retain financial interests in Helion but will avoid any transactions related to OpenAI.

I have loved being on the Helion board; I continue to be extremely excited about a future with abundant energy and Helion in particular.

As Helion and OpenAI start to explore working together at significant scale, it is difficult for me to be on both boards. (I will have a… https://t.co/hbc82a8mPG)

— Sam Altman (@sama) March 23, 2026

Altman’s personal financial bet on Helion is significant: he invested $375 million personally in 2021. After stepping down from the board, this investment’s financial incentives remain.

Power Purchase Goals: 5 GW by 2030, 50 GW by 2035

Based on current disclosed negotiations, OpenAI plans to purchase about 12.5% of Helion’s total capacity, in two phases: reaching 5 GW by 2030 and 50 GW by 2035.

What does this number mean? Taiwan’s peak electricity demand is about 40 GW, so OpenAI aims to secure a power capacity comparable to Taiwan’s grid from a fusion startup that has yet to commercialize.

Helion plans to activate its first fusion plant before 2028. Fusion has long been considered a “20-year-away” technology for commercialization; whether Helion can meet its targets remains highly uncertain.

The Same Script with Oklo

This is the second time Altman has used the same approach to energy investments and OpenAI’s business.

Last year, Altman resigned as chairman of Oklo, a small modular nuclear fission reactor startup. Oklo’s predecessor was AltC, a SPAC acquisition company of Altman. The reason for resignation was almost verbatim: to allow Oklo to freely negotiate collaborations with AI companies, including OpenAI.

The pattern is clear: Altman first invests personally in energy companies, then leverages his role as OpenAI CEO to bring large electricity demands, and finally manages conflicts of interest by resigning from the board, enabling OpenAI to buy power from these companies.

Critics argue that the resignation and “conflict avoidance declaration” are merely formalities, as financial interests have never truly been severed. This is also his usual method of accumulating enormous wealth through equity stakes.