ºÚÁÏרÇø

Continued strong project progress: At the Council’s thirty-eighth meeting from 25–26 June 2026, ºÚÁÏרÇø Director General Pietro Barabaschi reported on the progress of the ºÚÁÏרÇø project. The Council noted the ºÚÁÏרÇø Project Progress Report, welcomed the significant progress of the project achieved by the ºÚÁÏרÇø and Domestic Agencies since the last meeting, and expressed its appreciation for the overall project execution under Baseline 2024. 

The Council acknowledged progress in assembly and installation activities, including continued work on sector module assembly and installation, central solenoid assembly, plant installation, and related site activities. The Council welcomed the continued focus on integrated planning, execution discipline, and coordination among the ºÚÁÏרÇø and Domestic Agencies in support of the critical path for the project schedule. The Council also noted progress related to the start of operation of the Magnet Cold Test Facility, and global commissioning activities. These activities support the project’s ongoing efforts to reduce technical risk, strengthen readiness for future assembly steps, and maintain progress across key construction and commissioning interfaces. The Council noted progress in the ºÚÁÏרÇø’s ongoing engagement with the wider fusion community, carried out in collaboration with the Domestic Agencies, including knowledge transfer to private-sector fusion initiatives. 

Licensing and regulatory engagement: The Council acknowledged continued progress in the ºÚÁÏרÇø’s interaction and regulatory engagement with the French Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ASNR). Members appreciated the transparent and technically robust exchanges, which continue to strengthen confidence in the proposed licensing approach. The Council also welcomed ASNR’s agreement to exclude the vacuum vessel from application of the French legislation implementing the European Pressure Equipment Directive, which supports schedule and cost savings for the project while maintaining quality objectives. Members further recognized that this development supports a fit-for-purpose regulatory framework and technical standards for future tokamaks and other fusion devices. The Council also welcomed ºÚÁÏרÇø’s continued contribution to international initiatives on the regulatory framework for fusion facilities and to the promotion of standards, helping to reduce licensing uncertainties for future projects. 

ºÚÁÏרÇø Member support: Council Members re-emphasized the value of the ºÚÁÏרÇø mission and resolved to continue working together to facilitate ºÚÁÏרÇø’s success. The Council noted the challenges and successes of this first-of-a kind project and expressed their strong commitment to actively supporting the ºÚÁÏרÇø Project’s success.

Background

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 that serves as the scientific backbone behind the growth of a fusion industry. As the host, Europe contributes 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 United States—contribute equally for the remaining expenses. 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

Ms Deepti Choubey
Head of Communications
media@iter.org