Ansaldo Nucleare has successfully completed the manufacturing and integrated functional testing of the Cask and Plug Remote Handling Tooling System for the Equatorial Port Plugs of the ITER nuclear fusion project. The activities were carried out under contract with Fusion for Energy (F4E), the European Union organisation responsible for Europe’s contribution to ITER. The final Factory Acceptance Test verified the full functional interaction of the machine system and was completed on schedule, in close cooperation with Fusion for Energy (F4E), ITER Organization and industrial partners SOLVING, Officine L.C.M and Sinau Genova.
During ITER operation, the Equatorial Port Plugs will form a key interface between the fusion reactor and its auxiliary systems. Installed around the tokamak, they will house diagnostics, heating, support equipment and allow remote access to the reactor interior, enabling maintenance and operations in a high‑radiation environment. The Cask and Tooling System will support these activities by ensuring the safe handling, transport and positioning of the plugs throughout the assembly phase.
The on‑time completion of the tests marks a significant milestone for ITER, as this is the first Remote Handling system of the project to be fully manufactured and qualified for on‑site operations. In the coming weeks, the machine will be shipped to the ITER site and installed in the new Remote Handling test facility at Cadarache, which is currently under completion, where it will support the preparation of assembly and in‑vessel operations.
About ITER
ITER is the world’s largest international experimental nuclear fusion project, currently under construction in Cadarache, southern France. Its objective is to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy as a large‑scale, carbon‑free energy source, reproducing on Earth the process that fuels the sun. Europe, as host, contributes to almost half of the costs of its construction via Fusion for Energy (F4E). The other six Members to this joint international project (China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the United States), contribute equally for the remaining expenses.
About Ansaldo Nucleare’s role in ITER
Ansaldo Nucleare has been involved in the ITER programme since its early phases and is one of Europe’s reference industrial players in nuclear fusion technologies. Within ITER, the company contributes to the design and manufacturing of key systems and components, working closely with European and international partners under the coordination of Fusion for Energy (F4E). Ansaldo Nucleare participates in the consortium responsible for the supply of five of the nine sectors of the ITER Vacuum Vessel.
