ITER OVERVIEW

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is a joint project of the European Union, Japan, the Russian Federation and the United States with the objective to design, construct and operate a To kamak burning plasma experiment. The present phase of the project, the 6 year Engineering Design Activity (EDA), is entering its fifth year. The major features of ITER are now well defined. The development of d etailed engineering designs for the components, plans for the machine assembly, the support facilities, the site requirements, construction plans, schedule and costs and a safety assessment are progressing to s chedule and will be completed by the end of the Engineering Design Act ivity in July, 1998, in order to provide a basis for a decision by the ITER partners to proceed to the construction phase. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.