On May 9, 2024, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in Cadarache, France, achieved a monumental milestone by successfully producing its first plasma—a crucial step toward harnessing fusion energy, the same process that powers the sun. This historic event marks the beginning of what could become a revolutionary source of clean, nearly limitless energy.
ITER, a collaborative effort involving 35 nations including the European Union, China, the United States, Russia, India, Japan, and South Korea, is the world’s largest experimental fusion facility. After decades of planning and construction, the achievement of first plasma—a hot, charged state of matter necessary for fusion reactions—demonstrates that the reactor’s complex systems are working as designed.
Dr. Isabelle Dubois, ITER’s Director-General, described the milestone as “a testament to international cooperation and human ingenuity.” She added, “This is the dawn of a new era for energy production. Fusion has the potential to provide clean power with minimal environmental impact, and ITER’s success brings us closer to realizing this vision.”
The first plasma shot involved generating and sustaining a plasma of hydrogen isotopes inside the tokamak—the doughnut-shaped fusion device—lasting for several seconds. Though not yet producing net energy, this initial plasma is a critical test of the reactor’s magnetic confinement and heating systems.
Key players in the success include engineers, physicists, and technicians from all ITER member countries who meticulously integrated components ranging from superconducting magnets to vacuum chambers. Their work overcame enormous technical challenges associated with building and operating the world’s most powerful fusion machine.
This milestone has significant commercial and societal implications. Fusion energy promises to be a game-changer in the global energy landscape, offering a nearly inexhaustible fuel source without the greenhouse gas emissions of fossil fuels or the long-lived radioactive waste of fission reactors. While commercial fusion plants are still years away, ITER’s progress has renewed investor confidence and public support for fusion research.
Behind the scenes, the journey to first plasma faced numerous hurdles, including supply chain delays, technical setbacks, and the unprecedented complexity of assembling millions of components with extreme precision. The achievement is a tribute to years of perseverance by thousands of dedicated professionals.
Looking ahead, ITER will ramp up operations to conduct deuterium-tritium fusion experiments, aiming to demonstrate net positive energy gain. Success could pave the way for commercial fusion reactors by mid-century, fundamentally transforming global energy security and climate goals.
