First Broader Approach building inaugurated

10 months after commencing building, the inauguration for the International Fusion Energy Research Centre (IFERC) has been held in Rokkasho, Japan. This centre is the core of the Broader Approach activities – it gathers the Japanese Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) hosting institute and the project teams of the IFERC and International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF)/ Engineering Validation Engineering Design Activities (EVEDA).

The inauguration was attended by Akinori Eto, member of Congress, House of Representatives, Kanji Fujiki, Director General of the Research and Development Bureau, Ministry of Education, Sport, Culture, Science and Technology (MEXT), high-level representatives from the area where the centre is located, Pascal Garin, IFMIF/EVEDA Project Leader, and the president of JAEA, Toshio Okazaki.

The completion of additional buildings (the Supercomputer and Remote Experiment building, DEMO R&D building and Accelerator Prototype building) is planned for next spring.

The Broader Approach agreement between the EU and Japan is a pact on fusion energy partnership, which lasts for 10 years and represents about €340m of European investment. It aims to complement the ITER project and accelerate the realisation of fusion energy by carrying out R&D and developing advanced technologies for the future demonstration fusion power reactor DEMO. The resources for the implementation of Broader Approach mainly consist of in kind and financial contributions from the parties to the Agreement. The European contributions will be largely provided on a voluntary basis by EU Member States – also possibly Associated States – and channelled through Fusion for Energy.

Within the Broader Approach, one of the main projects is the International Fusion Energy Research Centre which deals with the coordination of DEMO design and R&D activities as well as large scale simulation activities of fusion plasmas by super-computer and remote experimentation activities.