The Director-General's statement on ITER progress

The ITER project in November 2017 has reached a significant milestone: the completion of 50 percent of the total construction work scope through First Plasma. This is no small achievement. It represents the collective contribution and commitment of ITER’s seven members. So it is with a sense of pride in that collective accomplishment, as well as a sense of deep gratitude to each member government, that we announce this accomplishment. 

“Total construction work scope,” as used in our project performance metrics, is a start-to-finish term. It includes design, component manufacturing, building construction, shipping and delivery, assembly, and installation. First Plasma, scheduled for December 2025, will be the first stage of operation for ITER as a functional machine. It will be followed by a staged approach of additional assembly and operation in increasingly complex modes, culminating in Deuterium-Tritium Plasma in 2035.

Globally, these indicators show that the ITER project is progressing steadily. For the past two years, we have met every agreed project milestone. This has not happened easily. A project of this complexity is full of risks; and our schedule to First Plasma 2025 is set with no ‘float’ or contingency. Effective risk management is a daily discipline at ITER. 

The stakes are very high for ITER. When we prove that fusion is a viable energy source, it will eventually replace burning fossil fuels, which are non-renewable and non-sustainable. Fusion will be complementary with wind, solar, and other renewable energies. 

ITER’s success has demanded extraordinary project management, systems engineering, and almost perfect integration of our work. 

Our design has taken advantage of the best expertise of every member’s scientific and industrial base. No country could do this alone. We are all learning from each other, for the world’s mutual benefit. 

Looking ahead, we will need the commitment and support of every member to maintain this performance. By choosing to build this machine in an integrated way, we have made our success interdependent. A shortfall in the commitment of any member, if it impacts the delivery of that member’s components, will have a cascading effect in delays and costs to all other members. 

I have enclosed a listing of some of the recent achievements and contributions of each ITER member. Each member has cause for pride in these accomplishments. With your continued support, we can succeed together. 

By demonstrating the feasibility of fusion as a clean, safe, and nearly limitless source of energy, we can leave a strong legacy for future generations. 

Bernard Bigot 
Director General, ITER Organization