ITER Council meets in Japan

The ITER Council endorsed as a working basis for development of the project baseline the phased approach to the completion of ITER construction and the target date for First Plasma by the end of 2018, maintaining operation with Deuterium and Tritium fuels in 2026. The Council also requested the finalization of a realistic schedule with the resources needed to complete ITER construction. In order to substantially reduce overall risk the primary components of the ITER machine will be assembled and tested together before the progressive installation of in-vessel components continues. A similar approach has been adopted during the construction of all major tokamaks. “Council recognized that this is a responsible way to build ITER”, said ITER Council chair Prof. Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith. “Agreement on this approach was a key milestone towards the planned adoption of the baseline at the next meeting in November”. 

The Director-General of the ITER Organization, Kaname Ikeda, reported on progress since the third meeting of the ITER Council in November 2008. He thanked the Governments of the ITER Members for their ongoing support, saying “We are creating a new model of global collaboration and the world is watching our progress. We have come together to catalyze the next stage of development of ITER and I hope and trust that the 4th ITER Council meeting will be a memorable event on the way to the demonstration of fusion as a safe, limitless, energy source.” 

The Council reviewed the reports from the various committees and working groups, showing progress on establishing the policies and procedures of this new global collaboration. 

The ITER Council appointed an assessor to carry out the Management Assessment, which according to the ITER Agreement, must be undertaken at least every two years, and established a Steering Committee for the Assessment.

BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS RELEASE 

ITER will be the world's largest experimental fusion facility and is designed to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power. ITER is also a first-of-a-kind global collaboration. 

Fusion is the process which 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, limitless and environmentally responsible energy source. 

The ITER project is sited at Cadarache in the South of France. Europe will contribute almost half of the costs of its construction, while the other six Members to this joint international venture (China, Japan, India, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the USA), will contribute equally to the rest. 

Photos of the Council Meeting can be found at: 
http://www.iter.org/org/team/odg/comm/Pages/galleries/2009_06_Fourth_ITER_Council.aspx

Additional photos of ITER can be found at: 
http://www.iter.org/org/team/odg/comm/Pages/Images.aspx

Further information at 
http://www.iter.org/

CONTACT

Neil Calder
+33 6 14 16 41 75
neil.calder@iter.org