France sets new nuclear fusion record, surpassing China’s achievement

• A nuclear fusion reactor in France has broken a record previously held by China, according to the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission. France’s reactor sustained a stable plasma loop for over 22 minutes, surpassing China’s 18-minute record.
• Nuclear fusion mimics the sun’s energy process with the potential to provide sustainable and continuous electricity. However, current technology still consumes more power than it produces.
• These advancements will contribute to developing the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. It’s a collaborative global fusion project in France expected to begin operations by 2039 at the earliest.

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A nuclear fusion reactor in France has surpassed a record previously held by China, marking a new milestone in the development of fusion energy. The announcement came from France’s Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).

What is nuclear fusion?

Nuclear fusion reactors mimic the energy generation process of the sun by creating and maintaining plasma — an extremely hot state of matter where light atoms fuse into heavier ones, releasing energy. While fusion power has the potential to generate sustainable and continuous electricity, current technology still consumes more energy than it produces.

What record did France’s reactor break?

Last month, China’s Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) set a record by maintaining a steady loop of superheated plasma for nearly 18 minutes.

The French reactor, the Tungsten Environment in Steady-state Tokamak (WEST), broke this mark by sustaining a stable plasma loop at temperatures exceeding 90 million degrees Fahrenheit for more than 22 minutes.

“WEST has achieved a new key technological milestone by maintaining hydrogen plasma for more than 20 minutes through the injection of 2 MW of heating power,” Anne-Isabelle Etienvre, director of fundamental research at the CEA, said. “Experiments will continue with increased power.”

What happens next?

Both the Chinese and French advancements will contribute to ongoing research for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). It’s a large-scale fusion project currently under construction in southern France and involves multiple countries. Its reactor is expected to begin operations by 2039 at the earliest.