States sign nuclear energy pact (fusion) - BBC

[Eugene]

Last Updated: Tuesday, 21 November 2006, 09:17 GMT

States sign nuclear energy pact

An international consortium has signed a formal agreement to build an experimental
nuclear fusion reactor.

The multi-billion-euro project known as Iter - or "the way" in Latin - will aim
to produce energy from nuclear reactions like those that fuel the Sun.

If successful, it could provide energy that is both clean and limitless.

The project, which will be based in France, follows years of talks between South
Korea, Russia, China, the EU, the US, India and Japan.

If all goes well, officials will build a demonstration power plant before rolling
the technology out to the world. Iter says electricity could be available on the
grid within 20 years.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6165932.stm