Slips in ITER schedule mean China’s fusion project may finish first
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029063
New Scientist : ITER, the international prototype fusion energy reactor being built in France, has seen costs triple to $20 billion and has experienced construction delays that have pushed back completion to 2019. Designed to be the world’s largest fusion facility, ITER is expected to be the first to produce more energy than was put into it. However, the delays may prevent it from achieving self-sustaining fusion reactions until the 2030s. That means that China, which is also participating in ITER, will likely finish construction on its own fusion project in time to reach that threshold first. The China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor is still in the design stage, but the country is heavily investing in the project and is likely learning quite a lot from its participation in ITER.