By Swann Collins, investor, writer and consultant in international affairs – Eurasia Business News. February 19, 2025. Article no 1420.
French scientists have achieved a significant milestone in nuclear fusion research by maintaining a plasma reaction for over 22 minutes at the WEST tokamak reactor, located at the CEA Cadarache site in southern France. This record was set on February 12, with the plasma being sustained for 1,337 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 1,066 seconds held by China’s EAST tokamak by 25%.
During the test, the plasma generated reached a temperature of 50 million degrees Celsius (90 million degrees Fahrenheit), around three times as hot as the Sun’s core.
The goal of this experiment was not only to extend the duration of the plasma but also to ensure its stability without damaging or polluting the reactor’s components. Achieving such a long plasma duration demonstrates improved control over fusion reactions, which is crucial for developing practical fusion energy systems. According to Anne-Isabelle Etienvre, Director of Fundamental Research at CEA, this achievement indicates progress in controlling both the production and maintenance of fusion plasma.
Looking ahead, researchers plan to conduct further experiments aimed at extending plasma durations to several hours and increasing temperatures, which are necessary to approach conditions expected in future fusion reactors like the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) being constructed in France.
ITER (initially the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, iter meaning “the way” or “the path” in Latin) is an international nuclear fusion research and engineering megaproject aimed at creating energy through a fusion process similar to that of the Sun.
ITER is funded and run by seven member parties: China, the European Union, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States.
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Upon completion of construction of the main reactor and first plasma, planned for 2033–2034, ITER will be the largest of more than 100 fusion reactors built since the 1950s, with six times the plasma volume of JT-60SA in Japan, the largest tokamak operating today.
Nuclear fusion is considered the “holy grail” of energy production due to its potential to provide a nearly limitless source of clean energy without greenhouse gas emissions or significant radioactive waste. The ability to maintain a stable plasma state for extended periods is essential for developing practical fusion reactors capable of continuous power generation. The potential of nuclear fusion lies in its ability to provide a nearly limitless and clean energy source, mimicking the processes that power stars.
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© Copyright 2025 – Eurasia Business News. Article no. 1420.
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