Decision on ITER reactor “a significant boost” for nuclear industry

Brussels, 28 June 2005: the partners to the revolutionary ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) nuclear fusion research reactor project signed a declaration today confirming that France has been granted the right to host the project at Cadarache, in southern France. The EU and Japan have reached an agreement on a privileged ITER partnership that enhances the image of European and Japanese nuclear research expertise and provides a boost for the engineering reputation of all the countries involved in the project, which are the USA, Canada, Korea and Russia, according to the European nuclear industry's trade association, FORATOM.

Reacting to the decision to host the €10 billion ITER reactor project at Cadarache Dr. Peter Haug, Director General of FORATOM and Secretary General of the European Nuclear Society (ENS) commented: "This will provide a major boost for the European nuclear energy industry and is well-earned recognition of its excellent research credentials. Choosing this bid endorses the European nuclear industry’s long-held view that the ITER project is one that requires broad and effective international co-operation and the pooling of resources and know-how."

Under the terms of the ITER agreement, the EU and France will contribute 50% of the construction costs and the other five parties will each contribute 10%. The other main terms of the agreement can be summarized as follows:

• The EU will transfer up to 10% of its procurement to Japan, so that both participate on similar terms in the high-technology components of the ITER reactor

• The EU will participate in additional fusion energy research projects in Japan as part of a “Broader Approach” that will support the ITER project

• The EU will support a suitable Japanese candidate for the post of Director-General of the ITER Organisation and will also support the right for Japan to have more staff in the Organisation than its proportionate share

• Some of the Headquarter’s functions could be carried out in Japan

• If there is an international agreement to build a subsequent demonstration reactor, the EU will support Japan as the host site

After the International Space Station, ITER will be the largest global research and development project in the world.

The ITER project is a long-term commitment and commercialized fusion for power generation is still several decades away. However, fusion technology has made real progress in recent years. Scientists believe that the conditions needed to sustain a fusion reaction are growing ever more achievable. They also maintain that the ITER experimental reactor at Cadarache is a major step forward on the road to achieving the ultimate aim of one day harnessing the power of the sun and the stars to provide energy that will meet the planet’s needs well into the next century and beyond.
In the short and medium term, however, the nuclear industry, supported by state-of-the-art research, continues to develop new Generation III reactor concepts, like the European pressurized water reactor (EPR) that is right now under construction in Finland and the one that is being built in France. Work has already begun on the design of the Generation IV reactors in order to ensure that continually upgraded reactor technology will help meet the planet’s energy needs until fusion becomes part of the equation.

News of the winning bid is likely to increase public awareness of the excellence of European nuclear research and it shows how the nuclear option is very much alive and in good health. Dr. Haug was quick to add that the winning bid also “sends out a positive signal that the nuclear industry offers talented young people the opportunity to pursue a challenging and worthwhile career in a sector that is at the cutting edge of modern technology.”

Tech-note: The nuclear power reactors currently providing one third of the EU’s electricity use the energy from nuclear fission, or the splitting of heavy atoms (uranium, plutonium or thorium). Fusion involves the joining together of light nuclei (helium and others) at very high temperatures to release energy.

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Contacts

Mark O’Donovan, PR & Media Relations Manager,
FORATOM: Tel.: +32 2 505 32 26;
e-mail: mark.odonovan@foratom.org

Laurent Furedi, Head of Unit, External Relations,
FORATOM: Tel.: +32 2 505 39 02;
e-mail: laurent.furedi@foratom.org

Andrew Teller, Society Manager,
ENS: +32 2 505 30 52;
e-mail: andrew.teller@euronuclear.org