Council set to keep watchful eye on Iter

EU ministers look likely to lend their ongoing support to the Iter nuclear fusion project being built in France, while stressing that no extra funding will be forthcoming.

Draft Council of Ministers conclusions published on 5 January underline the importance of Iter to the development of fusion energy in Europe, and welcome improvements in the project’s management that have “put it back on track”.

The document indicates that ministers will give the European Commission their backing to approve a revised schedule for Iter that will see it achieve its milestone ‘first plasma’ in 2025 and begin full operations in 2035. But they express regret at past delays and cost increases, and warn that Europe’s financial contribution to Iter’s construction will not exceed the €6.6 billion in 2008 prices that was agreed in 2010.