First exceptional load completes maritime leg of its journey
12 Jan 2015
Procured by the US Domestic Agency and manufactured in Korea, the 87-tonne transformer left the Hyundai docks at Ulsan, Korea, on 16 November 2013 and reached Marseille's industrial harbour at Fos-sur-Mer on 19 December. It is seen here in the narrow Canal de Caronte that connects the Mediterranean to the Etang de Berre. The load is expected at ITER in the early hours of Wednesday 14 January.
The maritime leg of the first Highly Exceptionnal Load (HEL) destined to the ITER site was completed on 12 January as the special barge carrying the high-voltage transformer reached the northern shore of the inland sea Etang de Berre on the southern coast of France.
Procured by the US Domestic Agency and manufactured in Korea, the 87-tonne transformer is part of ITER's steady state electrical network and will connect, along with three identical components, the AC electrical distribution system to the 400kV switchyard.
The land leg of the journey will begin on Tuesday 13 January at approximately 9:00 p.m. As the load is relatively "light" compared to those that were tested in September 2013 and April 2014, the convoy will cover the 104 kilometres to the ITER site in one night instead of over three.
The convoy is expected at ITER at 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday 14 January.