First plant components delivered to ITER

Shipped from the United States in four crates, the twelve high voltage surge arrestors that arrived by truck at 1:30 p.m. are part of the US contribution to the installation’s steady state electrical system. 

The surge arresters belong to a large system that will be installed between the 400 kV switchyard and the transformers that feed power to the ITER plant systems and components. As their name suggests, they are designed to protect the transformers from a major voltage surge that can be caused by lightning. 

“These are the first of many thousands of components to be delivered to ITER by the project’s Members,” said Ken Blackler, head of the Assembly & Operations Division, as the crates were being unloaded. “In this historic and meaningful moment, I wish to thank the US Domestic Agency for procuring the components, the logistics service provider DAHER for handling the shipment all the way from New York, and the European Domestic Agency for providing temporary storage on the ITER site.” 

For Directorate head Sergio Orlandi (Plant System Engineering) who represented ITER Director General Osamu Motojima, “the timely delivery of these first plant components—in conformity with the schedule proposed in 2010—is an example to be followed.” 

For all the parties involved, this first delivery provided a concrete opportunity to test the administrative, technical, industrial and regulatory procedures that will accompany the procurement of plant and machine components by the ITER Members. 

The remaining components needed to connect the ITER installation to the dedicated 400 kV switchyard are expected before the end of the month on site. Their installation should begin early 2015. 

BACKGROUND TO THE PRESS RELEASE 

ITER—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. 

ITER 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 ITER Project is under construction in Saint Paul-lez-Durance, in the south of France. 

Follow this link for a photo of the delivery. 

More information on the ITER Project can be found at: http://www.iter.org/

CONTACT

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