ITER Organization and CERN sign Cooperation Agreement

Today, the ITER Organization and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) signed a Cooperation Agreement that will make the long experience of CERN available to ITER in areas of technology and administration. The Agreement was signed by Kaname Ikeda, Director General of the ITER Organization and Robert Aymar, Director General of CERN, in the presence of senior staff from both organisations. 

The Agreement provides the opportunity for CERN and ITER to co-operate not only in the fields of technology such as superconductors, magnets, cryogenics, control and data acquisition and complex civil engineering but also in administrative domains such as finance, purchasing and human resources, including software programmes. 

Kaname Ikeda said “The wealth of knowledge acquired by CERN over its many years of operation will make an important contribution to ITER’s ability to make rapid progress”. Robert Aymar, expressed his pleasure, not only as CERN Director General, but also as someone previously involved in the ITER project from its inception, that ”CERN is very happy to work with ITER in common areas of science and technology.” 

The Cooperation Arrangement has been concluded for a five year period and enters into force immediately. 

Notes for editors:

More information on the ITER project and fusion energy can be found on http://www.iter.org 

Photo of signature attached: Robert Aymar on left and Kaname Ikeda on right 

For further information and photographs, please contact:

Neil Calder 
Head of ITER Communications 
CEA Cadarache 
Bat 519  
13108 Saint Paul-lez-Durance 
France 
T: 00 33 (0)4 42 25 6513 
E: @email

BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS RELEASE

ITER will be the world's largest experimental facility to demonstrate the
scientific and technical feasibility of fusion power. 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 prototype fusion power plant that is safe and reliable,
environmentally responsible and economically viable, with abundant and
widespread fuel resources.

The ITER project is sited at Cadarache in the South of France. The
construction costs of the facility are estimated at 5 billion Euros over ten
years, most of which will be awarded in the form of contracts to industrial
companies and fusion research institutions. Europe will contribute roughly half
of the costs of its construction, while the other six Parties to this joint
international venture ( China, Japan, India the Republic of Korea, the Russian
Federation and the USA), will contribute equally to the rest.

Each Party has set up a Domestic Agency to organize and carry out
procurement of their in kind contributions to ITER. The Domestic Agencies
employ their own staff and have their own budget and will place contracts with
suppliers.