The reactor was intended to start operation next year but that has been put back until at least 2033.
Collaborators in ITER are Japan, EU, U.S., Russia, Korea, China and India.
The UK used to be involved in ITER but ceased to be as a result of Brexit and subsequently declined an invitation to participate saying it would concentrate on UK fusion projects.
The costs of ITER have recently risen by €5 billion taking the total expected cost of the project to €25 billion.
ITER’s is a tokomak-type fusion reactor which uses a magnetic field to confine plasma. A problem tokomak reactors have is keeping the plasma hot enough without melting the walls.
