News Releases

No. 101/06
November 21, 2006

LAUNCH OF AMBITIOUS INTERNATIONAL THERMONUCLEAR EXPERIMENT REACTOR (ITER) PROJECT

Today, the European Union, the United States, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation signed the agreement to establish the international organization that will implement the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) fusion energy project--finalizing ten years of negotiations. ITER, representing the world's largest international scientific partnership, aims to provide a new, safe energy source via fusion energy that will cut oil demand and curb greenhouse gas emissions.

The signature took place at a ceremony at the Elysée Palace in Paris and was hosted by French President Jacques Chirac and by the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso. The US was represented by the Under Secretary for Science and Director of the Office of Science at the Department of Energy, Raymond Orbach.

The first meeting of the Interim ITER Council took place at Ministerial level after the signing ceremony, under the chairmanship of Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner responsible for Science and Research. "The ITER Project has been of great personal interest to me and I must say that I feel fortunate to have been able to be involved directly. It is a beacon of scientific and technological excellence. I applaud the scientists and engineers whose brilliance and sustained commitment over the two decades have brought the project to its present state of maturity," said Commissioner Potočnik.

The ITER Organization starts its operation on a provisional basis pending the entry into force of the agreement which is expected in the course of 2007.

Background

The ITER fusion energy project worth $12.8 billion is expected to run over thirty years. It aims to provide a clean and limitless source of energy that can replace fossil fuel. It will be the world's largest experimental facility to demonstrate the scientific and technical feasibility of fusion power.

ITER is an experimental reactor which will reproduce the physical reaction – fusion – that occurs in the sun and stars. Existing experiments have already shown that it is possible to replicate this process on Earth. ITER aims to do this at a scale and in conditions that will demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion as an energy source.

In June 2005, the ITER partners decided unanimously to choose the European site at Cadarache, in the South of France, as the location for the construction of ITER.

The ITER Organization will be established as an international organization by the ITER Agreement. The ITER Agreement sets out all the necessary provisions for the ITER Organization to become operational, such as its purpose and functions, its members, its legal personality, its Council, Director-General and staff, its resources, etc.

By hosting ITER, the EU aims to maintain its position at the forefront of fusion research. The existence of such a high technology, cutting edge research facility in the EU will have considerable benefits for EU industry.

For further information, please visit: http://www.iter.org/a/index_nav_6.htm

Further Contact Information
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