On KSTAR, ITER’s plasma control system successfully takes charge

Over a week of fine weather in April 2026, a drone captured a series of striking views of the ITER project site in southern France. Of the 180 hectares (450 acres) allocated by France to the ITER Organization in 2010, approximately half was cleared for construction; from the air, the installation appears as an island set within a sea of green. Most buildings are concentrated on the 42-hectare (100-acre) scientific platform, where the tallest structure—the Tokamak Building—is surrounded by a dense network of facilities supporting machine operation.

View or download the latest aerial photos on the Image Galleries page of the ITER website.

The European Domestic Agency for ITER, Fusion for Energy (F4E), the logistics group Daher, and the industrial river transport company CFT have received the “Green Shipper” award, recognizing the low-emission transport of ITER’s largest components across southern France’s inland sea Étang de Berre. Presented at the SITL logistics exhibition in Paris, the prize highlights the use of inland waterways as a cleaner alternative to road haulage for some of Europe’s most demanding cargo operations. 

The award concerns the movement of “Highly Exceptional Loads” (HEL)—components weighing hundreds of tonnes, such as vacuum vessel sectors and superconducting coils. These outsized pieces require bespoke trailers, reinforced infrastructure and multi-day, tightly coordinated transport operations. 

After arriving at the Mediterranean port of Fos-sur-Mer, the loads are transferred onto a specially designed barge to cross the inland sea, before continuing along the 104-km ITER itinerary by road to the construction site. A milestone—the 200th HEL shipment—will be passed in April.

See the full story on the Fusion for Energy website.

--Representatives from F4E, Daher, and CFT receiving the "Green Shipper" award from Medlink Ports at SITL Paris.

Pre-registration is open for the 15th ITER International School, which will be held in Chengdu, China, from 20–24 July 2026.

The deadline for pre-registration is 6 May 2026. Selected students will be informed on 11 of May so that they can complete the registration process. 

This year's ITER International School will explore the "Physics and engineering of heating and current drive systems for magnetic fusion plasmas." The organizers of the event—the Engineering & Technical College of Chengdu University of Technology and the Southwestern Institute of Physics (SWIP)—have opened the webpage for pre-registration. The program for the five-day event is also consultable on the website. 

Visit the 15th ITER International School website for all information or to pre-register by 6 May.

Download the 2026 School poster here.

According to an independent study conducted for the European Domestic Agency for ITER (Fusion for Energy) by CSIL, Trinomics and Cambridge Econometrics, the European Union’s investment in fusion between 2018 and 2024 has created a strong positive impact on Europe’s economy and industrial competitiveness.

Since its creation in 2007, Fusion for Energy has invested over EUR 7 billion to provide Europe’s contribution to ITER and other international projects through more than 1,400 contracts. This has helped shaped the largest fusion supply chain in the world, with at least 2,700 companies and 75 R&D organizations involved. Besides the infrastructure and technologies delivered, the analysis shows the far-reaching benefits in terms of knowledge, growth and jobs. For instance, 66% of firms reported that their staff had acquired new skills and 77% acknowledged enhanced know-how, driven by ITER’s complex requirements. Around half of surveyed firms noted improvements to their products or processes, with some reporting patents or spin-offs towards sectors like fission, medicine or aerospace.

 See this article on the Fusion for Energy website for more analysis or download the report directly here.