Fusion holds great potential for a cleaner and more sustainable energy future and ensuring its safe deployment is crucial, according to experts at a recent technical event.
"For several years, the IAEA Division of Nuclear Installation Safety has been leading work to enable the future safe deployment of fusion facilities," said Anna Bradford, Director of the IAEA Division of Nuclear Installation Safety, when opening the event.
The IAEA technical meeting on 'Design Safety, Safety Assessment and Regulatory Activities to Facilitate Further Development and Future Deployment of Fusion Facilities' brought together leading experts in Granada, Spain in June.
The global fusion landscape is moving at pace from experimental devices and government sponsored projects towards prototype and commercial fusion devices, attracting significant private investment. This was also reflected in the diversity of the more than 80 participants in this meeting.
During the weeklong event, experts discussed the safety and regulation of fusion technologies, revealing significant differences in approaches worldwide and across various fusion technologies. However, the protection of workers, the public and the environment from the harmful effects of ionising radiation remains a priority. This aligns with the safety objective in. IAEA Safety Fundamentals No. SF-1 "Fundamental Safety Principles".
"Fusion power plants present a distinct set of technical challenges, different from nuclear power plants, that will require careful consideration when we start developing specific safety requirements for fusion," said Bradford.
Research and Regulatory Frameworks
In partnership with the Government of Spain and hosted by the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility DEMO Oriented Neutron Source (IFMIF-DONES), the meeting underscored the key role of research. Research focused on the testing, validation, and qualification of materials for future fusion power plants is essential, as understanding material behaviour and durability under extreme conditions is key to ensuring the safety of fusion facilities.
"Progress in fusion safety requires the contribution of, and the ability to exploit, dedicated facilities that can simulate and help understand the consequences of abnormal events in fusion machines," said Angel Ibarra Sanchez, Director IFMIF- DONES.
Participants at the IFMIF-DONES facility in Granada, which once operational, will test, validate and qualify the materials to be used in future fusion facilities. (Photo: Z. Stone/IAEA)
Central to the discussions was the regulation of fusion facilities during which participants emphasized the importance of flexible regulatory frameworks that can support the safe and timely deployment of fusion technologies.
"It is the task of regulators to create a predictable regulatory environment tailored to fusion energy's unique characteristics. This should be done in close cooperation and consultation with the relevant stakeholders, including the scientific community," said Juan Carlos Lentijo, President of Spain's Nuclear Safety Council (CSN).
Towards Global Standards
The meeting advanced international collaboration in fusion safety and regulation. Notably, the discussions and outcomes from Granada will contribute to the finalization of the forthcoming IAEA Safety Report on 'Safety and Regulation Considerations for Fusion Facilities.'
The IAEA remains confident that these efforts will support the safe deployment of fusion power plants in the years ahead.
