The delivery by Europe of five vacuum vessel sectors for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (Iter) under construction in southern France has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and could result in delays to the overall schedule for the fusion reactor project, Iter director-general Bernard Bigot said.

Mr Bigot told Science magazine that the sectors were produced in Italy and components needed to be moved from Italy to Germany or Spain and back to Italy. Some workshops in Italy had to stop.

“The companies have been keen to find recovery measures, but it’s too early to estimate the impact,” he said.