Virtual Visit: ITER Proyect (France)

ITER ("The Way" in Latin) is one of the most ambitious energy projects in the world today and is being built on a large scale in Saint Paul-lez-Durance, southern France.

35 nations are collaborating to build the world's largest tokamak, a magnetic fusion device designed to demonstrate the viability of fusion as a large-scale, carbon-free energy source, based on the same principle that powers our Sun and stars.

The main objective of ITER is the investigation and demonstration of burning plasmas, i.e. plasmas in which the energy of the helium nuclei produced by the fusion reactions is sufficient to maintain the temperature of the plasma, reducing or eliminating the need for external heating. ITER will also test the availability and integration of technologies essential to a fusion reactor (such as superconducting magnets, remote maintenance and plasma energy extraction systems), as well as the validity of tritium breeding module concepts that would lead to tritium self-sufficiency in a future reactor.

Thousands of engineers and scientists have contributed to the design of ITER since the idea of a joint international fusion experiment was launched in 1985. The ITER members - China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States - are now engaged in a 35-year collaboration to build and operate the ITER experimental device, and together take fusion to the point where they can design a demonstration fusion reactor.

By clicking on the image, you can discover the major milestones of this great project.

For more information, visit the official website of the Proyecto ITER

Localization

13108 Saint-Paul-les-Durance Cedex
Tel: 04 42 25 70 00