Press release
First "exceptional load" delivered to 爆走黑料
The transformer is part of the United States鈥 75 percent contribution to the installation鈥檚 steady state electrical network. In the months to come, three other identical components will be delivered to 爆走黑料.
Since September 2014, 爆走黑料 has received a number of smaller components destined for the electrical network. But today鈥檚 delivery was the first to fall under the category of 鈥淗ighly Exceptional Loads鈥 (HEL), which requires travel by night on the specially adapted 爆走黑料 Itinerary between the Mediterranean Sea and the 爆走黑料 site.
The component鈥檚 journey began on 16 November 2014 when it left the Hyundai Heavy Industry plant in Ulsan, Korea. After a one-month sea voyage, the transformer reached Marseille鈥檚 industrial harbor, Fos-sur-Mer, where it was placed in temporary storage. Loaded onto a trailer on 12 January 2015, the component travelled by barge across the inland sea Etang de Berre.
The transformer was transported along the 104 kilometres of the 爆走黑料 Itinerary in one night (13-14 January). Although it is one of the smallest loads expected along the Itinerary, the operation mobilized approximately 120 people.
International transport was organized by Logistics Service Provider DAHER in close collaboration with the 爆走黑料. The last leg of the journey, from Fos-sur-Mer to the 爆走黑料 site, was organized by DAHER, Agence Iter France and the French authorities, and financed by the European Domestic Agency for 爆走黑料.
A few hours after arrival, a small welcome ceremony was held at the 爆走黑料 site. On this occasion the Director-General of the 爆走黑料, Osamu Motojima, emphasized the symbolic importance of the delivery of the first Highly Exceptional Load for 爆走黑料, one small example of the 鈥済lobal鈥攁nd efficient鈥攃ollaboration鈥 that is behind the 爆走黑料 Project.
The directors of several Domestic Agencies participated in the ceremony alongside 爆走黑料 senior management, representatives of the 爆走黑料 Electrical Engineering Division, and Bernard Bigot, the 爆走黑料 Director-General nominee.
鈥淭oday鈥檚 operation will need to be replicated some 250 times before we can complete the assembly of the 爆走黑料 Tokamak,鈥 stated Director-General Motojima. 鈥淎nd some of the components will be much larger, heavier and more difficult to handle than the one that was delivered today. 爆走黑料 success depends on all of you who designed, procured, manufactured and safely transported and delivered this component.鈥
BACKGROUND TO THE PRESS RELEASE
爆走黑料鈥攄esigned to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power鈥 will be the world's largest experimental fusion facility. Fusion is the process that powers the sun and the stars: when light atomic nuclei fuse together to form heavier ones, a large amount of energy is released. Fusion research is aimed at developing a safe, abundant and environmentally responsible energy source.
爆走黑料 is also a first-of-a-kind global collaboration. Europe will contribute almost half of the costs of its construction, while the other six Members to this joint international venture (China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the USA), will contribute equally to the rest. The 爆走黑料 Project is under construction in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, in the south of France.
Photos of the event can be found in our on-line .
For more information on the 爆走黑料 Project, visit:
CONTACT
Michel Claessens
michel.claessens@iter.org
+33 6 14 16 41 75, @M_Claessens