Design, Challenges and Key Features for the ITER Electrical Power Distribution

Abstract

ITER is a large-scale scientific experiment (presently under construction in Southern France) to demonstrate it is possible to produce commercial energy from nuclear fusion. In order to achieve nuclear fusion, ITER plant will be directly fed from the 400 kV French National Grid. The transmission grid will be able to provide up to 500 MW for pulsed loads (power converters) as well as 120 MW for continuous loads (auxiliaries systems) with total reactive power up to 200 Mvar demand from the pulsed loads and 48 Mvar from the continuous loads.

This paper describes the specific electrical engineering studies performed to ensure the required levels of availability and to reach the required global reliability and availability of ITER project.