ITER site to welcome seven new buildings

ITER construction is accelerating thanks to the signature of two contracts between F4E, the EU body managing Europe’s contribution to ITER, and Ferrovial Agroman.
Seven buildings will be added to ITER’s construction puzzle, to house facilities and a range of high technology components that will be used in the biggest fusion energy project. The budget of the two contracts is in the range of 40 million EUR and the works are expected to be completed in the next four years.
F4E’s Director, Professor Henrik Bindslev, stated that “the ITER construction is reaching a turning point. More companies are participating; more workforces are being deployed and more progress is being made to one of the busiest worksites in Europe”. Alejandro de la Joya, CEO of Ferrovial Agroman, explained that “these two contracts offer Ferrovial Agroman the opportunity to be further involved in ITER and establish itself as one of the most committed contractors. We are extremely proud to be part of the most ambitious international collaboration in the field of energy”.

The ITER site in figures:
The size of the ITER platform is 42 hectares and Europe is the party responsible for the delivery of the 39 buildings that the ITER platform will host. Currently, the personnel directly involved in construction counts 300 people and by mid-2015 it is expected to reach 2,000 people. One of the key challenges will be to accommodate the needs of the rapidly growing workforce and to guarantee an optimal use of space to the different companies operating on the ground, in order to carry out the construction of all infrastructures in parallel and on time.

The scope and key figures of the two contracts:
The ITER magnets will need electricity in order to generate the powerful magnetic cage that will confine the hot plasma. Through this contract, two magnetic power conversion buildings will be constructed, with a surface of 4.900m2 and a volume of 39.000m3 each. They will house the components manufactured by China, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea that will convert alternative current to direct current which will be used by the ITER magnets. A smaller building will also be constructed, in order to house the components that will provide the compensation of the reactive power for the operation of the electrical network.

The second contract signed with Ferrovial covers all activities from design to construction of ITER’s cold/hot basin and cooling water towers structure. In essence, 10 Olympic size swimming pools of 26.000m3 will store the water that will travel in and out of the ITER machine in order to cool down its high temperatures. Additional buildings will be constructed to support the foundations of cooling water system pumps and pipes, water treatment and heat exchangers.

Background information
Press release:
F4E signs with Ferrovial for the construction of seven ITER buildings (EN)
F4E signs with Ferrovial for the construction of seven ITER buildings (ES)
F4E signs with Ferrovial for the construction of seven ITER buildings (CAT)