Construction kick-off for Tokamak Complex
21 May 2013
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Sabina Griffith
A video link connects the ITER senior management to the European Domestic Agency in Barcelona during the kick-off meeting for "Tender Batch 03." This civil engineering contract encompasses the construction of the Tokamak Complex and support buildings — a EUR 300 million contract that marks one of the most important milestones in the construction of ITER.
Early on Tuesday, 30 April the usual hustle and bustle on the fifth floor of the ITER Headquarters came to a short halt as ITER management gathered in front of a video camera to participate remotely in an event taking place at the European Domestic Agency, Fusion for Energy (F4E) in Barcelona. An event marking another milestone in the project's history book: the kick-off meeting for Tender Batch 03, which is project code for the contract covering the construction of the Tokamak Complex plus another eight support buildings.
The Tokamak Complex will be a seven-storey reinforced concrete building with a steel-frame crane hall and a total mass of around 335,000 tonnes. It comprises the Tokamak Building plus the adjacent Diagnostic and Tritium buildings. All three are connected and supported by a common basemat.
In addition to the Tokamak Complex, another eight buildings will be erected within the frame of the TB03 contract over the next 66 months, as well as 60 nuclear doors that will provide containment and radiation shielding during ITER operation and maintenance and three bridges. The scope of work comprises all civil works, heavy doors supply and implementation and finishing works.
The preparation for Tender Batch 03 began with a competitive dialogue in July 2011 and concluded with the award of the contract to the VFR consortium on 20 December 2012. The VFR consortium brings together VINCI Construction Grands Projets, Razel-Bec, Dodin Campenon Bernard, Campenon Bernard Sud-Est, GTM Sud and Chantiers Modernes Sud as well as the Spanish company Ferrovial Agroman.
"The start of this contract is one of the most important ITER milestones, as building construction is the main driving force of this project," Director-General Osamu Motojima stated in his remarks following opening words from F4E Director Henrik Binslev. "This kick-off meeting will be recorded in the history of the project and fusion research," Motojima went on, before he welcomed the Vinci consortium as "a new and important member" of the ITER team. "We are very much looking forward to working together closely. It will be my great pleasure to witness the daily progress from my office window."
Read more about the kick-off meeting on the F4E website here.