The construction of the world’s largest fusion experiment, the ITER Tokamak, in southern France’s Bouches-du-Rhone region continues despite technical setbacks involving crucial tokamak components.
ITER, short for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, focuses on developing a magnetic confinement device called a tokamak to harness controlled thermonuclear fusion power.
In a recent interview with reporters, ITER Director-General Pietro Barabaschi acknowledged setbacks related to vacuum vessel sectors and thermal shield issues but expressed confidence in the ongoing recovery efforts. Repair work, initiated in July, runs concurrently with the assembly of ITER components in the adjacent workshop.
Barabaschi emphasized that these setbacks, while significant, are not insurmountable, noting that encountering challenges in a project of this magnitude is normal. He highlighted the project’s complexity and reiterated its importance as a pivotal experimental step towards realizing fusion as a large-scale, eco-friendly energy source.
ITER’s construction involves colossal components, with the tokamak weighing 23,000 tonnes and its vacuum vessel alone reaching 8,000 tonnes. The project, a collaboration among seven members including China, the EU, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United States, aims to achieve controlled fusion and is designed to be the world’s largest tokamak.
Barabaschi underlined the significant progress made in acquiring essential components necessary for initiating the machine, expressing confidence in nearing the project’s midpoint. He likened the ITER endeavour not merely to a marathon but an adventurous exploration fraught with risks.
While the original target was to produce plasma by 2025, the ongoing repairs’ impact on schedule and costs remains uncertain. A revised cost and schedule baseline will be presented for approval in a council meeting by mid-2024.
Highlighting the broader landscape of fusion energy beyond ITER, Barabaschi emphasized the need for continued investment and collaboration, welcoming the growing interest from both public and private sectors. He stressed the critical role of material development in sustaining fusion energy, citing the necessity for robust materials capable of withstanding plasma radiation in future energy-producing fusion reactors.
