ITER Project Achieves a Major Milestone

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, which aims to build the world’s largest fusion reactor in southern France, achieved a major milestone this week.

The construction crews of about 200 carefully lifted the cryostat base into the first major piece of the reactor, the tokamak.

Procured by India, manufactured in segments by Larsen & Toubro Ltd at its Hazira factory, the cryostat is assembled and welded on site under the supervision of the Indian Domestic Agency.

The elements for the base section were delivered to ITER in December 2015 and the 1,250-tonnes component was finalized in July of last year.

Taking over from the Indian Domestic Agency, the ITER Organization then proceeded with “pre-assembly work” before moving the component into the Assembly Hall one month ago.

ITER Director General Bernard Bigot had stressed the unique importance of the moment, saying “The coming moments will stand out in the minds and memories of us all, what you will accomplish today, as a team, is something that has never been done before in history”.

Read more in the ITER’s Press Release.