Press release
ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ moves into full construction stage
On 19 and 20 June 2013, the governing body of the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Organization convened in Tokyo, Japan. This two-day meeting brought together senior representatives from all the seven ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Members— China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States—under the chairmanship of Hideyuki Takatsu (Japan).
The ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ project is transitioning to full construction. The Council noted the increasing pace of construction activities at the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ site in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France and good progress in the manufacturing of Tokamak components and supporting systems, currently underway in all the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Members. Major contracts have been placed recently and many leading industries are now involved in the project; the first delivery of large components is expected on site in the first quarter of 2014.
The Council welcomed improved collaboration between the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Organization and the Domestic Agencies as part of the Unique ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ team, created to improve project execution with a goal to achieving schedule acceleration. Through close collaboration, solutions are being sought to improve schedule performance on the manufacturing of the systems and components required for First Plasma, including close collaboration with industry that has already resulted in the recovery of some delay. The ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Council reaffirmed the importance of sustained efforts regarding schedule implementation, while recognizing the challenges due to the first-of-a-kind nature of ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ.
Significant progress was reported in the manufacturing of ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ magnets. More than 420 tons of niobium-tin strand (Nb3Sn) for the toroidal field conductors has now been produced by the six procuring Members, representing 90 percent of project needs. Also, 133 tons of niobium-titanium (NbTi) strand for the poloidal field conductors (51 percent of project needs) has been produced by China, Europe and the Russian Federation.
The Council approved the appointment of Bill Madia (US) as the 2013 Management Assessor.
A special meeting with representation at Ministerial-level will take place on 6 September 2013 at ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Headquarters in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, allowing the progress in construction of this vast international collaboration for fusion to be witnessed first-hand by all Members.
BACKGROUND TO THE PRESS RELEASE
ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ—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.
ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ is also a first-of-a-kind global collaboration. 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. The ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Project is under construction in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, in the south of France.
Photos of the Council Meeting can be found in our on-line .
More information on the ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ project can be found at:
CONTACT
Michel Claessens
michel.claessens@iter.org
+33 6 14 16 41 75