France · Magnetic confinement (tokamak)
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor
Operated by ITER Organization · First operation 2034
Status: Under construction
The largest fusion experiment ever built — a $25B+ international project designed to demonstrate Q = 10 sustained burning plasma.
ITER is a magnetic-confinement tokamak under construction in Cadarache, France, by a 35-nation collaboration (EU, US, China, India, Japan, Korea, Russia). Its goal: 500 MW of fusion power from 50 MW of input heating — a tenfold gain — sustained for minutes. First plasma is targeted for 2034 with DT operations in the late 2030s.
Key specifications
- Plasma volume
- 840 m³
- Magnetic field
- 5.3 T toroidal
- Target Q
- 10 (500 MW out / 50 MW in)
- Pulse duration
- 400–600 s
Milestones
2007
ITER Organization established
2020
Assembly phase begins
2024
New baseline: first plasma 2034, DT operations 2039
2034
Targeted first plasma