IAEA director general visits experimental fusion sites in France

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) site in southern France received a visit from the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) Director General Yukiya Amano on Tuesday.

ITER is an experimental project partnering 35 nations and thousands of engineers and scientists to build the world’s largest tokamak – a magnetic fusion device designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of nuclear fusion as a large-scale source of clean energy.

Amano paid a visit to the device’s construction site, praising the work done on the project.

“Fusion energy has the potential to become a virtually inexhaustible, safe and environmentally friendly energy source, capable of meeting global energy requirements around the globe,” Amano said. “ITER’s impressive work is crucial to advancing research in this field. We look forward to our continued collaboration with ITER toward facilitating fusion research.”

Amano also met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Jean-Marc Ayrault during his trip to France, and visited the Jules Horowitz Reactor site, where another test reactor will improve worldwide access to research reactor facilities, fostering cooperation in nuclear research and development.