Helical Fusion Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-based company developing a helical stellarator power plant under its “Helix Programme”, has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Aoki Super Co., Ltd., a major regional supermarket chain in central Japan. The deal marks Japan’s first PPA involving fusion-generated electricity and reflects early demand-side interest in the country’s emerging fusion sector.
Fusion energy, produced by replicating the nuclear reactions that power the sun, has long been viewed as a potential high-efficiency, low-carbon energy source. While global efforts have largely focused on resolving the scientific and engineering barriers to achieving commercially viable fusion, industry observers note that real-world deployment will also depend on the willingness of electricity customers to integrate fusion power into long-term energy strategies.
Helical Fusion’s Helix Programme is based on the premise that fusion must operate as a dependable power source. The company has identified three core requirements—steady-state operation, net electricity output and maintainability—and selected the helical stellarator design as the most suitable approach based on existing technology. Its development pathway draws on more than six decades of Japanese national research into fusion systems.
Aoki Super, which relies on significant electricity consumption across its store network, has agreed to procure power under the new PPA. The company has evaluated Helical Fusion’s projected output as part of its planning for future energy use.
The agreement marks a notable step in Japan’s fusion landscape, highlighting growing interest from industrial end-users and the wider supply chain in supporting the development of fusion-based power generation.
