The European council has agreed €5.61bn ($6.8bn) of new funding for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (Iter) project for the seven years to 2027, it said on 22 February.
The council said in a statement that according to European commission estimates, the important achievement of first plasma will probably take place at Iter in December 2025, with full operation estimated in 2035.
“Fusion energy as a viable commercial energy source is not expected to produce electricity before 2050,” the council said.
The total cost of the Iter project, under construction at Cadarache in southern France, has been put at €20bn. The reactor will replicate the reactions that power the sun and is intended to demonstrate fusion power can be generated on a commercial scale.
The council said in a statement that according to European commission estimates, the important achievement of first plasma will probably take place at Iter in December 2025, with full operation estimated in 2035.
“Fusion energy as a viable commercial energy source is not expected to produce electricity before 2050,” the council said.
The total cost of the Iter project, under construction at Cadarache in southern France, has been put at €20bn. The reactor will replicate the reactions that power the sun and is intended to demonstrate fusion power can be generated on a commercial scale.
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