‘World’s Largest’ Nuclear Reactor In France Gets Key Fusion Tech From China

China has recently completed the delivery of the final magnetic feeder system components for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in southern France.

Known as the “artificial sun,” ITER aims to replicate the process that powers our solar system’s star, offering humanity a potential future powered by clean, carbon-free, and practically limitless energy.

The final shipment from China includes the Correction Coil Incryostat Feeder components, completing a massive endeavor spanning years of design, construction, and testing. These components, part of the magnet feeder system, are nothing short of colossal—each of the nine half-ring structures measures 15 meters in diameter and 3 meters in height, weighing in at approximately 1,600 tonnes in total.

According to Lu Kun, deputy director of ASIPP, the feeder system is indispensable to ITER’s core functionality. “It provides energy and cooling media to the fusion reactor magnets, sends back critical control signals, and also acts as a discharge channel to safely release stored magnet energy,” Kun said.

This final delivery means that all feeder components—31 sets in total—are now on-site in France. It also represents China’s most complex ITER procurement package to date, a testament to its growing expertise and leadership in cutting-edge fusion technologies.

ITER is a truly international project. Launched in the mid-1980s, it includes seven global partners: the United States, Russia, South Korea, Japan, China, India, and the European Union. With a projected cost exceeding $25 billion, it is one of the largest and most ambitious scientific collaborations ever attempted.

ASIPP’s contribution isn’t just limited to hardware. According to Song Yuntao, Vice President of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science and Director of ASIPP, China’s fusion research community has collaborated with over 140 institutions in more than 50 countries, supporting global innovation and helping emerging nations establish their own fusion research programs.

The ITER reactor, currently being assembled in Cadarache, France, is expected to achieve its first plasma in the coming years—a milestone that will mark the true beginning of experimental fusion energy generation on a commercial scale. If successful, ITER would be the first large-scale fusion reactor to produce more energy than it consumes—a holy grail of clean energy research.

Unlike traditional nuclear fission—which splits atoms and produces long-lived radioactive waste—fusion fuses light atoms like hydrogen, mimicking the sun’s energy generation process. Fusion generates no greenhouse gases, no long-term waste, and carries a significantly lower risk of catastrophic accidents, making it an ideal clean energy solution for the future.

China isn’t just helping build ITER—it’s also pushing boundaries at home. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), often called China’s own artificial sun, recently set a new record by maintaining stable plasma for 1,066 seconds, smashing its previous record of 403 seconds.