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VERSAILLES SUMMIT FOLLOW-UP MEETING FOR FUSION 

 Brussels, 5 and 6 July 1984 



P. Fasella, Co-Leader 

 European Communities 



i Opening Remarks 



Consensus should not be difficult to reach on the common goal of the fusion 

 programmes of the Summit countries: the development of the necessary 

 scientific and technological data base for the construction of a DEMO i.e. 

 a demonstration fusion reactor including all the components of a fusion 

 power plant but not necessarily optimized from the economic point of 

 view. 



The path leading to this goal and the consequent timing are more difficult 

 to define. It is generally accepted that between the JET generation 

 devices and DEMO, an Intermediate step is necessary. Whether a single step 

 will also be sufficient will depend mainly on the results of the JET 

 generation devices. 



The next step of the EC fusion programme (NET - Next European Torus) is 

 presently conceived as a tokamak-based experimental device aimed at the 

 demonstration of plasma performance at reactor level as well as technological 

 feasibility of fusion. This implies that NET has a strong technological 

 component. This definition of NET and the starting of its construction in 

 1992 are assumed as working hypotheses in the planning of the EC fusion 

 programme. If such a planning can be implemented, a single step between 

 JET and DEMO might be sufficient. 



The EC fusion programme is expected to remain In the front line of fusion 

 R&D during the eighties, thanks to JET and to the other tokamaks presently 

 under construction. It might play a leading role also during the nineties, 

 with the construction and starting of operation of NET. 



According to information available in Europe, the US fusion programme 

 appears to be oriented towards the construction of a Burning Core Experiment 

 to be started in 1987-88, with the objective of demonstrating reactor level 

 plasma performance but not technological feasibility of fusion. This seens 

 to imply the construction of another Intermediate step between TFTR (JET 

 generation) and DEMO. We think that the Japanese planning provides for the 

 construction of a fusion experimental reactor as a single step between 

 JT 60 (JET generation) and DEMO, and that It Is therefore similar to the 

 European working hypothesis. An exchange of more Information during the 

 meeting, on the intermediate term plans of the three large programmes (US, 

 Japan, EC) would obviously be very appropriate. 



