On site
"What you see is your achievement"
8 Oct 2018
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Kirsten Haupt
An unusually large number of visitors could be seen on the construction platform last week, identifiable by their yellow hardhats and vests. More than 120 staff of Fusion for Energy (F4E), the European Domestic Agency, toured the ITER worksite to witness the progress of the project and see—in very concrete terms—the fruit of all their efforts.
Divided into several groups, Fusion for Energy staff rotated between the main sights on the platform, visiting the Poloidal Field Coils Winding Facility, the cryoplant, the Assembly Building and the Tokamak Complex.
Fusion for Energy is the largest of ITER's Domestic Agencies, employing about 500 staff at its headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, with some staff based at the ITER site and in Garching, Germany. It is responsible for providing Europe's 45.6 percent contribution to ITER—a contribution that includes the construction of nearly all concrete and steel-frame buildings, site infrastructure, and power supplies on site in addition to the procurement of a large number of high technology components and systems.
The majority of Fusion for Energy staff visiting last week had made the trip from Barcelona, with some of their colleagues based in France joining them. They represented the two technical departments—the ITER Delivery Department and the ITER Programme Department—which are in charge of the in-kind procurement and delivery of the European contribution.
More than 120 Fusion for Energy staff came to see how their work was taking shape on the ITER worksite.
Many were setting foot on the ITER platform for the first time while others had not been for several years. It was a real discovery tour for all, seeing the results of all their work rise spectacularly before them.
In his address to visiting staff, ITER Director-General Bernard Bigot expressed his profound appreciation for their efforts: "The platform is buzzing with activity, almost all of it under the responsibility of Fusion for Energy. So, what you see there is really your achievement."