Public hearing set for Helion conditional use permit in Malaga

WENATCHEE — A public hearing on Everett-based Helion’s conditional use permit (CUP) application has been rescheduled for a larger venue.

The Chelan County hearing examiner will take up the matter at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the Confluence Technology Center, 285 Technology Center Way in Wenatchee. Residents may attend in person or via Zoom. Public comment will be taken at the hearing, with speakers asked to keep remarks focused on the CUP application.

Helion, a company working on power generation through fusion technology, submitted the CUP earlier this summer to build a high-impact utility facility within Malaga’s Rural Industrial zoning district. The project includes a generator building and a small substation. The CUP must be approved before any building permits can be submitted.

Written public comments on the application were accepted through Sept. 4 by Chelan County Community Development. On Oct. 1, the hearing examiner will review both the CUP and the comments already submitted. A decision could be made at the hearing, though the examiner may also choose to issue it at a later date.

A conditional use permit allows a specific land use that requires more detailed review than standard zoning permits. In this case, the higher-level review is triggered by the scale and impact of Helion’s proposed facility.

Meeting agendas and additional materials will be posted on the hearing examiner’s webpage as the date nears.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media