ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ

CADARACHE, France (18 November 2011). On 17 and 18 November 2011, the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Council, the Governing Body of the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Organization, convened for its ninth meeting, which brought together representatives from the seven ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Members: China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States under the chairmanship of Academician Evgeny Velikhov (Russia). 

Council members recognized that under the leadership of the new management since the previous ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Council held in June 2011, the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Organization has taken a number of positive steps in improving management, gaining control of costs and making technical decisions that will enable continued effective project construction. 

Council members were also informed on the positive outcome of the public inquiry, which allowed citizens to express their opinions and to ask questions about the project. On 19 September, the public inquiry commission, on the basis of these contributions, issued a ‘favourable’ opinion on the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ project. This is a key step towards the full licensing of ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. The Council commended the development of a strategic management plan to minimize potential delays due, in part, to the earthquake in Japan. In particular, the Council confirmed that the project is within the schedule and cost decided at its extraordinary meeting in July 2010. The ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Council noted that 60 Procurement Arrangements have been signed, representing 71.5 percent of the total procurement value of ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ construction. Council endorsed the cost strategy proposed by the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Organization to stay within the capped budget. 

The Council noted the high quality of the report of the Management Assessor that recognizes the positive impact of the new leadership while giving detailed recommendations to promote further improvements. A report on the implementation of these recommendations by the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Organization’s Director-General will be made at the next ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Council meeting in June 2012 (IC-10). 

Following the completion of the term of Academician Evgeny Velikhov as the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Council Chair, Dr. Gyung-Su Lee as the MAC (Management Advisory Committee) Chair and Prof. Wan Yuanxi as the STAC (Science and Technology Advisory Committee) Chair at the end of this calendar year, the Council elected Dr Hideyuki Takatsu, Dr. Ranjay Sharan and Prof. Joaquin Sanchez as their respective successors. Council members thanked the outgoing Chairs for their contribution and welcomed the new Chairs. 

BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS RELEASE 

ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ will be the world's largest experimental fusion facility and is designed to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ is also a first-of-a-kind global collaboration. Fusion is the process which 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. 

The ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ project is sited at Cadarache in the South of France. Europe will contribute 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), will contribute equally to the rest. 

Photos of the Council Meeting can be found at:

Additional photos of ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ can be found at:

Further information at  

CONTACT

Michel Claessens 
michel.claessens@iter.org 
+33 6 14 16 41 75