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In addition to contributing to the ITER Project as a member of the European Union, France has made and honoured a number of specific commitments. France has provided the site for the project and carried out preparatory works including clearing and levelling, fencing, and networks for water and electricity.

ITER is now expected to cost at least $21 billion and won't turn on until 2020 at the earliest. And a recent review slammed ITER's management. The cost of the U.S. contribution has increased, too, although by how much has been unclear.

ITER's operational phase is expected to last for 20 years: first, a several-year "shakedown" period of operation in pure hydrogen is planned during which the machine will remain accessible for repairs and the most promising physics regimes will be tested.

Yes, you can build your very own nuclear fusion reactor in your house! But first, a few warnings: -This project includes lethal voltage levels. Make sure you know your high voltage safety or have a qualified electrical advisor.

ITER will produce about 500 MW of fusion power in nominal operation, for pulses of 400 seconds and longer. Typical plasma heating levels duriung the pulse are expected to be about 50 MW, so power amplification (Q) is 10. Thus during the pulse the ITER plasma will create more energy than it consumes.

• The ITER Project is currently under construction on a 180-hectare site in southern France. Thirty-nine buildings and technical areas house the ITER Tokamak and its plant systems. The heart of the facility—the Tokamak Building—is a seven-storey structure in reinforced concrete that sits 13 metres below the platform level and 60 metres above.

• An estimated 2,000 workers have participated in the construction of the ITER scientific facility; another 2,000 are now involved in assembly and installation (including oversight).

• The objective of the ITER reactor is to solve critical scientific and technical problems in order to be able to use nuclear fusion in industrial applications. It is calculated that the fusion device will have a gain factor of 10. That means that for every 50 MW of input the reactor will produce 500 MW of output.

• The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the world's largest nuclear fusion project began its five-year assembly phase on Tuesday, 28th July 2020. That day, French President Emmanuel Macron took the floor to support the start of the assembly of the masterpieces of the ITER fusion reactor.

The ITER Project is currently under construction on a 180-hectare site in southern France. Thirty-nine buildings and technical areas house the ITER Tokamak and its plant systems. The heart of the facility—the Tokamak Building—is a seven-storey structure in reinforced concrete that sits 13 metres below the platform level and 60 metres above.

An estimated 2,000 workers have participated in the construction of the ITER scientific facility; another 2,000 are now involved in assembly and installation (including oversight).

The objective of the ITER reactor is to solve critical scientific and technical problems in order to be able to use nuclear fusion in industrial applications. It is calculated that the fusion device will have a gain factor of 10. That means that for every 50 MW of input the reactor will produce 500 MW of output.

ITER construction is underway now. On the ITER site, buildings are rising; abroad, machine and plant components are leaving factories on three continents. In the years ahead, over 4,000 workers will be required for on-site building, assembly and installation activities.