Name and Location
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, Cadarache, France.

Client
The ITER Organisation, which includes China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the US.

Project Description
The ITER project is a large-scale scientific experiment that aims to demonstrate that it is possible to produce commercial energy from fusion. It is based on the ‘tokamak’ concept of magnetic confinement, in which the plasma is contained in a doughnut-shaped vacuum vessel. The fuel for the reactor will be a mixture of two isotopes of hydrogen, deuterium and tritium, which will be heated to temperatures higher than 150-million degrees centigrade, forming the hot plasma.

The project entails of the construction of the Tokamak complex – a 360 000 t building that comprises the tokamak, diagnostic and tritium buildings – in Cadarache, north of Marseille, in Southern France. It will have an estimated generating capacity of 500 MW.

The building will be 80 m high, 120 m long and 80 m wide. Its footprint will be bigger than that of a football stadium.

The Tokamak building will rely on 493 plinths, equipped with antiseismic bearings already in place. The plinths are able to sustain the overall weight of the machine – about 23 000 t – almost three times the weight of the Eiffel Tower.

The complex will host 100 heavy nuclear and confinement doors. The major doors will be 4 m high × 4 m long and 35 cm thick. Their unit weight will be about 40 t and they will be remotely operated.

Value
The project is valued at an estimated €13-billion. Members of the ITER Organisation will bear the cost of the project through its ten-year construction phase and its 20-year operational phase before decommissioning.

Duration
First plasma is scheduled for November 2020. Full deuterium-tritium operation is scheduled for March 2027. ITER Organisation and Domestic Agency schedule milestones leading up to these dates are reviewed on a monthly basis and strategies are developed to make up for lost time where necessary.

Latest Developments
A French-Spanish consortium, VFR, has won the five-and-a-half year €300-million civil engineering contract that also includes the construction of the ITER assembly building; the radio frequency heating building; areas for heating, ventilation and air conditioning; a cleaning facility and site services buildings; the cryoplant compressor and coldbox building; the control buildings; the fast discharge and switching network resistor building; and three bridges.

A total of 150 000 m³ of concrete will be used for all buildings, of which 110 000 m³ will be used for the construction of the Tokamak complex.

The works within the framework of the contract will require 7 500 t of steel for the different structures and 16 000 t of steel for reinforcement bars. The number of embedded parts on which the ITER equipment will be located is expected to reach 60 000 units. Overall, it is estimated that 600 people will be involved in the works for this contract.

The design studies will begin in April and the main civil engineering works later in the year.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
The VFR consortium, comprising Vinci Construction Grands Projets, Razel-Bec, Dodin Campenon Bernard, Campenon Bernard Sud-Est, GTM Sud, Chantiers Modernes Sud and Ferrovial Agroman.

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
ITER Organisation communications, Michel Claessens, tel +33 4 42 17 66 12 or email michel.claessens@iter.org.
Vinci Construction Grands Projets, tel +33 1 47 16 39 00 or fax +33 1 47 51 46 26.
Razel-Bec, tel +331 69 85 69 or fax +33 1 60 19 06 45.
Dodin Campenon Bernard, tel +33 01 49 61 71 00 or fax +33 1 49 61 25 44.
Campenon Bernard Sud-Est, tel +33 4 92 08 45 02.
GTM Sud, tel +33 491 767 507, fax +33 141 915 823 or email gtmsud-gci@vinci-construction.fr.
Chantiers Modernes Sud, tel +33 5 57 89 16 76.