French scientists have achieved a groundbreaking milestone in nuclear fusion research, successfully maintaining a plasma reaction for over 22 minutes at the WEST tokamak reactor in southern France.
The experiment, conducted on February 12 at the CEA Cadarache research center, sustained plasma for 1,337 seconds—surpassing the previous record of 1,066 seconds set by China’s EAST tokamak by 25%.
The achievement marks a significant step forward in the pursuit of controlled nuclear fusion, a potential source of limitless clean energy.
Scientists at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) emphasize that this record-setting plasma duration not only extends operational time but also demonstrates improved stability, a crucial factor in developing practical fusion power plants.
A Major Leap Toward Sustainable Fusion Energy
The WEST (W Environment in Steady-state Tokamak) reactor is designed to test and refine key technologies needed for future fusion reactors.
The primary objective of this experiment was to extend plasma duration while ensuring reactor components remain intact and uncontaminated.
Anne-Isabelle Etienvre, Director of Fundamental Research at CEA, highlighted the importance of this breakthrough, stating, “This achievement represents a major step in mastering the production and maintenance of fusion plasma, bringing us closer to viable nuclear fusion energy solutions.”
Nuclear fusion, the process that powers the sun, involves combining atomic nuclei at extremely high temperatures to release vast amounts of energy.
Unlike nuclear fission, which splits atoms and generates long-lived radioactive waste, fusion produces minimal waste and carries no risk of meltdown, making it a highly attractive energy source. However, sustaining high-temperature plasma for extended periods has been a major challenge in the field.
Path to Future Fusion Reactors
The success of the WEST tokamak experiment provides valuable insights for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the world’s largest fusion project currently under construction in France.
ITER aims to demonstrate large-scale, sustained fusion reactions and pave the way for commercial fusion power plants.
Looking ahead, researchers plan to conduct further experiments to extend plasma duration beyond several hours and increase temperatures to match the conditions required for practical energy production.
These advancements will play a critical role in determining the feasibility of fusion as a sustainable energy source.
As the global demand for clean energy intensifies, France’s latest achievement reinforces its position at the forefront of nuclear fusion research.
With continued progress, fusion energy could revolutionize the world’s energy landscape, providing a virtually limitless source of clean power for future generations.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
