AN ASSESSMENT OF THE PROSPECTS FOR ECONOMIC D-T TOKAMAK FUSION

The purpose of the fusion programme is to provide broadly competitive electricity (with perhaps credit given for possible environmental, div ersity and safety benefits). Fusion reactor design studies routinely p redict electricity prices broadly comparable to conventional alternati ves such as the PWR, despite the devices producing the electricity bei ng typically similar to 10 times bigger, more complicated and requirin g more maintenance. In this paper this issue is considered. These low power densities, indicated both by reactor studies and confirmed by ge neric engineering and geometric arguments, are shown to be a rather fu ndamental feature of the D-T tokamak. Coupled with the complex constru ction and expensive materials required, and the probable low availabil ity its serial complexity and high maintenance needs will cause, it is argued that D-T tokamak electricity prices will be a significant mult iple of alternatives. This is the case even with all remaining physics issues assumed resolved successfully. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.