The assembly of the world’s largest fusion reactor, part of the International Fusion Energy Project (ITER), has been completed. However, it won’t be operational until 2039, according to project scientists. Initially planned to begin tests in 2020, the reactor now faces significant delays.
ITER, featuring 19 massive coils forming multiple toroidal magnets, is a collaboration between 35 countries, including EU member states, Russia, China, India, and the U.S. It houses the world’s most powerful magnet, capable of generating a magnetic field 280,000 times stronger than Earth’s.
Initially budgeted at $5 billion, the project’s costs have ballooned to over $22 billion, with an additional $5 billion proposed for unforeseen expenses, contributing to the delay.
ITER’s director general, Pietro Barabaschi, acknowledged the setback at a news conference, emphasizing that relying on nuclear fusion to solve current global issues is not practical.
Fusion power, the process by which stars generate energy, involves fusing hydrogen atoms into helium under extreme pressures and temperatures. This produces vast amounts of energy without greenhouse gases or long-lasting radioactive waste. However, replicating these conditions on Earth, particularly maintaining superheated plasma in a stable state, has proven challenging.
The most common reactor design, the tokamak, uses powerful magnetic fields to confine superheated plasma within a donut-shaped chamber. Despite efforts since 1958, no reactor has yet produced more energy than it consumes.
ITER’s design and ambitious goals come with significant technical challenges and financial costs, highlighting the complexity of advancing nuclear fusion as a viable energy source.
