ITER overview

The article summarizes six years of technical work carried out by the ITER Joint Central Team and Home Teams under the terms of the ITER Engineering Design Activities (EDA) Agreement. The major products of this effort are as follows: a comprehensive and detailed engineering design with supporting assessments, cost estimates and a schedule based on industrial studies; a comprehensive safety and environmental assessment; and technology R and D to validate and qualify the design, including proof of technologies and industrial manufacture and testing of full size or scalable models of key components. The ITER design is at an advanced stage of maturity and contains sufficient technical information to serve as a basis for a decision on construction. The operation of ITER will demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy for peaceful purposes. (author)