Iter and Ornl

ITER (means ``the way''), a tokamak burning plasma experiment, is the next step device toward making fusion energy a reality. The programmatic objective of ITER is to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy for peaceful purposes. ITER began in 1985 as collaboration between the Russian Federation (former Soviet Union), the USA, European Union, and Japan. ITER conceptual and engineering design activities led to a detailed design in 2001. The USA opted out of the project between 1999-2003, but rejoined in 2004 for site selection and construction negotiations. China and Korea joined the project in 2003. Negotiations are continuing and a decision on the site for ITER construction [France versus Japan] is pending. The ITER international undertaking is an unprecedented scale and the six ITER parties represent 40% of the world population. By 2018, ITER will produce a fusion power of 500 million Watts for time periods up to an hour with one-tenth of the power needed to sustain it. Steady state operation is also possible at lower power levels with higher fraction of circulated power. The ITER parties invested about $1 billion into the research and development (R) and related fusion experiments to establish the ITER's feasibility. ORNL has been a key player in the ITER project and contributed to its physics and engineering design and related R since its inception. Recently, the U.S. DOE selected the PPPL/ORNL partnership to lead the U.S. project office for ITER.