ITER Engineering Basis Handbook

Under the editorial lead of EUROfusion, the ITER Engineering Basis Handbook delivers a stand-alone compilation of ITER design principles, the underlying technical design basis and its evolution from conception to construction, together with the technical, scientific, and regulatory rationale behind the major decisions. It facilitates the access and understanding of the project’s technological journey by consolidating the information from a multitude of sources. It aims at securing the lessons learned, the return of experience, and the knowledge transfer from the world's largest fusion project, drawing from the direct experience of knowledgeable experts who have worked on ITER, for the benefit of fusion professionals inside and outside of the ITER project and the next generation.

We welcome your feedback! Readers are invited to help shape the next versions of these chapters by submitting comments and suggestions to @email.

For ITER Regular Reports, return to this page.

You can find the biographies of the Handbook Editorial board here.

Available ITR-IEBH-101 Ch. 1 - Foreword
Available ITR-IEBH-102 Ch. 2 - Acknowledgements
Available ITR-IEBH-103 Ch. 3 - Introduction
Available ITR-IEBH-104 Ch. 4 - The role and distinctive features of ITER
Available ITR-IEBH-105 Ch. 5 - ITER key historical events
Available ITR-IEBH-106 Ch. 6 - Project genesis & evolution
Available ITR-IEBH-107-1 7.1 Main Design Points and Design Iterations
To be published soon - 7.2 Project and Configuration Control
Available ITR-IEBH-107-3 7.3 Design Validation and Qualification through RD&D
Available ITR-IEBH-108-1 8.1 The Licensing Process
Expected 2026 - 8.2 Quality Assurance and Quality Control
Expected 2026 - 8.3 Project Management
Expected 2026 - 8.4 Construction achievements and milestones to date
Expected 2026 - 8.5 Major Manufacturing and Construction Challenges
Expected 2026 - 8.6 Oversight of the construction regulatory framework
Available ITR-IEBH-109 Ch. 9 - Gaps to fill beyond ITER
To be published soon - Ch. 10 – Final observations and lessons learned
Available ITR-IEBH-101 See Foreword in Volume 1
Available ITR-IEBH-102 See Acknowledgments in Volume 1
Expected 2026 - Ch. 3 - Introduction
Expected 2026 - Ch. 4 - Physics basis & design implications
Expected 2026 - 5.1 Tokamak basic machine design
Expected 2026 - 5.2 Plant layout and site services
Expected 2026 - 5.3 Nuclear buildings
Expected 2026 - 5.4 Hot cell
To be published soon - 5.5 Main loads: plant and systems level
Expected 2026 - 5.6 The inner surface of the tokamak: plasma-facing materials
Expected 2026 - 5.7 Finding and qualifying the right materials
Expected 2026 - 5.8 Radiation shielding and nuclear design considerations
Expected 2026 - 5.9 Nuclear safety
Expected 2026 - 5.10 Fuel cycle subjects
Expected 2026 - 5.11 Radioactive waste
Expected 2026 - 5.12 The assembly sequence and tooling of ITER
Expected 2026 - 5.13 RAMI and remote handling approach
Expected 2026 - 5.14 Design methodologies and tools (codes & standards)
Expected 2026 - 5.15 Managing of analyses
Available ITR-IEBH-205-16 5.16 Engineering instrumentation & simulators
To be published soon - 6.1 Magnet systems including vessel coils
Expected 2026 - 6.2 Vacuum vessel
Expected 2026 - 6.3 First wall & shielding blanket
To be published soon - 6.4 Blanket cooling manifolds
To be published soon - 6.5 Divertor
Expected 2026 - 6.6 Auxiliary heating systems
Expected 2026 - 6.7 Power supply systems
Expected 2026 - 6.8 Cryogenic systems
Expected 2026 - 6.9 Cryostat
Expected 2026 - 6.10 Thermal shields
Expected 2026 - 6.11 Cooling water systems
Expected 2026 - 6.12 Fuelling systems
Expected 2026 - 6.13 Vacuum and pumping systems
Expected 2026 - 6.14 Fuel cycle and tritium plant
Expected 2026 - 6.15 Remote handling systems and tools
Expected 2026 - 6.16 Plasma diagnostics and port plug integration
Expected 2026 - 6.17 ITER central control and plant system integration
To be published soon - 6.18 The ITER Test Blanket Module Program
Expected 2026 - Ch. 7 - Conclusions