A landmark decree authorizes ITER construction

The publication of the Décret d’autorisation de création constitutes a major step forward for the ITER project. It comes as a result of two-and-a-half years of hard work, both on the part of the ITER Organization and on the part of French authorities.   

“We never doubted the validity of our project,” stated Osamu Motojima, the Director-General of the ITER Organization. “ITER safety has now been confirmed by a large body of outside, independent experts. This is indeed a great day for ITER.” 

The Demande d’autorisation de création (or DAC files) for ITER—nearly 6,000 pages of in-depth description of the design and operational conditions of ITER—was submitted to the French authorities in March 2010. The files underwent a thorough examination by the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), environmental authorities and groups of independent experts.

A Public Enquiry was organized between 15 June and 4 August 2011, allowing the public to formulate its opinion on the project. On 9 September, the Public Enquiry Commission issued a favourable Advisory Opinion for the pursuit of the licensing procedure. 

The licensing of a nuclear installation is a long, complex and rigorous process. ITER is the first nuclear installation in France to observe the stringent requirements of the 2006 French law on Nuclear Transparency and Security. 

It is also the first time in worldwide history that the safety characteristics of a fusion device have undergone the rigorous scrutiny of a Nuclear Regulator to obtain nuclear licensing. ITER has achieved an important landmark in fusion history. 

BACKGROUND TO THE PRESS RELEASE 

ITER—designed to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power—will be the world's largest experimental fusion facility. 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, abundant and environmentally responsible energy source.   

ITER is also a first-of-a-kind global collaboration. Europe will contribute almost half of the costs of its construction, while the other six Members to this joint international venture (China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the USA), will contribute equally to the rest. 

The ITER project is under construction in Cadarache, in the south of France. 

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

CONTACT

Michael Claessens
+33 6 14 16 41 75
michel.claessens@iter.org