China’s Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) has set a new world record maintaining steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for 1,066 seconds at a temperature close to 70m degrees Celsius. This sets a new world record and marks a significant breakthrough in the pursuit of fusion power generation, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
This milestone, achieved by the Institute of Plasma Physics (ASIPP) at CAS’s He Fei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, far surpasses the previous world record of 403 seconds, also set by EAST in 2023.
“A fusion device must achieve stable operation at high efficiency for thousands of seconds to enable the self-sustaining circulation of plasma, which is essential for the continuous power generation of future fusion plants,” said SONG Yuntao, ASIPP Director and Vice President of HFIPS. He said that the recent record is monumental, marking a critical step toward realising a functional fusion reactor.
According to GONG Xianzu, head of the EAST Physics & Experimental Operations division, several systems of the EAST device have been upgraded since the last round of experiments. For example, the heating system, which previously operated at the equivalent power of nearly 70,000 household microwave ovens, has now doubled its power output while maintaining stability and continuity.
Since its inception in 2006, EAST has served as an open testing platform for both Chinese and international scientists to conduct fusion-related experiments and research.
China officially joined the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in 2006 as its seventh member. Under the agreement, China is responsible for approximately 9% of the project’s construction and operation, with ASIPP serving as the primary institution for the Chinese mission.
ITER, currently under construction in southern France, is set to become the world’s largest magnetic confinement plasma physics experiment and the largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor upon completion. It is projected to begin operations in 2039 at the earliest. The lessons learned from EAST and other reactors will contribute to ITER’s development and the broader goal of achieving practical fusion energy.
In recent years, EAST has consistently achieved groundbreaking advancements in high-confinement mode, a fundamental operational mode for experimental fusion reactors like ITER and the future China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR). These accomplishments provide invaluable insights and references for the global development of fusion reactors. “We hope to expand international collaboration via EAST and bring fusion energy into practical use for humanity,” said SONG.
