ITER becomes owner of the ITER site

Tuesday 6 July was an important date in the history of the ITER Organization. At the Château Cadarache, in the presence of representatives from the ITER Organization, CEA, the European Domestic Agency and the media, ITER Director-General Ikeda and the High Representative for ITER in France Bernard Bigot signed the notarial deed that transfers the responsibility and the possession of the ITER site from the CEA, representing France, to the ITER Organization.

 

Through this notarial deed, approximately 100 hectares will be made available to the ITER Organization for the duration of the ITER Agreement (24 October 2042), with a further reserve of 65 hectares if necessary. Four years of work to prepare the site for the construction of the ITER buildings and installations have been carried out conjointly between the Host country, represented by Agence Iter France, and the European Domestic Agency.
 
The ITER Organization will take responsibility and possession of the ITER Site as from 26 of July 2010. On Tuesday, Director-General Kaname Ikeda stated: "We do not underestimate the importance of the responsibility that is now ours. We will do everything that is in our power to ensure a smooth transition, and to fulfill the commitments made to our Members."

 

Mr. Bernard Bigot, High Representative for ITER in France, added: "[This signature] marks the entry of the ITER Project in a new phase, an essential phase—that of the actual construction of the machine after three years of intense preparatory work on the site and the finalization of the detailed design of the machine."