The ITER project has successfully completed tests on the 330-ton toroidal field coil number 17. Engineers cooled the component to 4 K (-269 °C) and applied a current of 34 kA, which represents half of its nominal operating capacity.
Conducted at the Magnet Cold Test Facility, these trials allow researchers to measure structural deformation under electromagnetic forces and verify the accuracy of theoretical models before final installation in the reactor.
The testing process for coil number 17 began in August 2026 and concluded on October 30, 2026, when the unit was moved to storage. The reactor design requires a total of 18 D-shaped toroidal coils, six poloidal coils, and a central solenoid.
Future plans include testing the backup coil number 19 in April 2027. This component will undergo full-load testing at 64 kA, including stress tests and intentional heating to evaluate the stability of the superconducting systems.
The ITER project timeline has been significantly delayed. Scientific operations are now scheduled for 2034, with full power capacity and a plasma current of 15 MA expected by 2036. Experiments with deuterium-tritium fuel are set for 2039.
