ºÚÁÏרÇø

At its Twenty-Fourth Meeting on 19-20 June 2019, the ºÚÁÏרÇø Council assessed the latest progress reports and project performance metrics. The project continues to maintain a vigorous pace and robust performance, with the ºÚÁÏרÇø and Domestic Agencies working as an integrated One-ºÚÁÏרÇø team to meet the project’s demanding schedule and groundbreaking technical requirements.

— Organizational Leadership: In keeping with the decision of the Council in January, Director General Bernard Bigot has signed with the Council Chair, Arun Srivastava, a second five-year term, to commence on 5 March 2020.

— Construction and manufacturing progress: Since January 2016, 41 scheduled Council-approved project milestones have been achieved. Europe has completed more than 70% of buildings and onsite civil works in the First Plasma scope. The first machine component, part of the Chinese supplied superconducting coil feeder, has been installed in the Bioshield; and the first commissioned system, the US-supplied electrical switchyard, is now in use. In the Assembly Hall, both Korean-supplied 800-tonne Sub-Sector Assembly Tools are now installed. Europe has also handed over the Magnet Conversion Building to the ºÚÁÏרÇø, where electrical components supplied by China, India, Korea, and Russia are undergoing installation. Over the coming months, India will celebrate completion of the Cryostat Base and Lower Cylinder, Europe and China will mark the completion and shipment of the first Poloidal Field Coil, and the first Toroidal Field Coil will arrive on site from Japan. 

Substantial progress is ongoing for every major ºÚÁÏרÇø component, system and structure.

— Preparation for Machine Assembly: The Council approved a reorganization of the ºÚÁÏרÇø suitable to the start of Machine Assembly phase in spring 2020, and took careful note of measures by the ºÚÁÏרÇø to prepare for this transition. An In-Depth Independent Review of the ºÚÁÏרÇø’s Assembly and Installation Strategy will be launched next month.

— Neutral Beam Test Facility: The Neutral Beam Test Facility, a joint effort of Europe, Japan, India, and the ºÚÁÏרÇø, relies heavily on Italy’s committed financial contribution to create and validate at full scale the physics and technology of ºÚÁÏרÇø’s most powerful plasma heating system. The Council approved the draft agreement between the ºÚÁÏרÇø and Consorzio RFX to extend the Neutral Beam Test Facility’s mission until May 2030.

ºÚÁÏרÇø Member support: The Council noted with appreciation the efforts made by all Members to meet their in-kind and in-cash commitments to enable successful implementation of the refinements to the construction strategy to achieve First Plasma in 2025. The Council reaffirmed the importance of all ºÚÁÏרÇø Members meeting their annual in-kind and in-cash commitments on a timely basis to enable successful implementation of the construction strategy. 

Council Members reaffirmed their strong belief in the value of the ºÚÁÏרÇø Project mission and vision to develop fusion science and technology, and resolved to work together to find timely solutions to facilitate ºÚÁÏרÇø’s success. The Council congratulated the One-ºÚÁÏרÇø team on the commitment to effective collaboration that has put the project on the path to success. The Council will continue to closely monitor project performance, and to provide the support needed to maintain this pace of achievement.

BACKGROUND TO THE PRESS RELEASE 

ºÚÁÏרÇø—designed to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power—will be the world's largest experimental fusion facility. Fusion is the process that powers the Sun and the stars: when light atomic nuclei fuse together to form heavier ones, a large amount of energy is released. Fusion research is aimed at developing a safe, abundant and environmentally responsible energy source. 

ºÚÁÏרÇø is also a first-of-a-kind global collaboration. Europe is contributing almost half of the costs of its construction, while the other six Members to this joint international venture (China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the USA), are contributing equally to the rest. The ºÚÁÏרÇø Project is under construction in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, in the south of France. For more information on the ºÚÁÏרÇø Project, visit:

CONTACT

Laban Coblentz 
Laban.Coblentz@iter.org 
+33 6 14 16 40 85