Singapore: In a significant step for global clean energy research, the world’s largest nuclear fusion project has entered a crucial phase with the start of assembly of the most powerful magnet ever built.
The magnet, designed to contain plasma heated to temperatures hotter than the sun, is central to the success of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a megaproject located in southern France.
The ITER project, which includes the participation of more than 30 nations including the United States, China, Russia, Japan, and the European Union, announced that the central solenoid, the core of its magnetic system, has been completed and delivered by the US. It is now being assembled on site.
The magnet is engineered to generate a massive magnetic field, creating an “invisible cage” capable of trapping and stabilizing plasma-charged particles at extremely high temperatures, which are necessary for nuclear fusion reactions.
Once operational, ITER aims to demonstrate that fusion energy, the same process powering stars, can be a viable source of clean, virtually unlimited electricity on Earth.
Originally scheduled for completion in 2021, the magnet’s delay underscored the complex engineering and political challenges facing the $22 billion project. “To be behind schedule by four years after 10 years of effort shows just how troubled this project is,” said Charles Seife, a nuclear fusion researcher and professor at NYU.
Despite the setbacks, ITER Director-General Pietro Barabaschi said the project is advancing rapidly, calling this the “fastest construction phase in ITER’s history.” The first plasma generation, a key milestone, is targeted for 2033, marking the beginning of ITER’s operational life.
In an era of geopolitical tensions, ITER stands out as a symbol of sustained international cooperation.
As fusion energy draws increased attention worldwide, the private sector has stepped in, with dozens of start-ups racing to develop commercial fusion reactors within the next decade.
