ITER activities and fusion technology

At the 21st IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, 68 and 67 papers were presented in the categories of ITER activities and fusion technology, respectively. ITER performance prediction, results of technology R and D and the construction preparation provide good confidence in ITER realization. The superconducting tokamak EAST achieved the first plasma just before the conference. The construction of other new experimental machines has also shown steady progress. Future reactor studies stress the importance of down sizing and a steady-state approach. Reactor technology in the field of blanket including the ITER TBM programme and materials for the demonstration power plant showed sound progress in both R and D and design activities