Public Acceptance of ITER-Tokamak Fusion Power

Abstract

One of the U.S. Electric Power Research Institute’s criteria for practical fusion power is public acceptance. In this analysis we consider the potential public acceptance of ITER-tokamak fusion power. Because ITER-like reactors are not likely to be commercially ready before mid-century, a forecast of public acceptance is very difficult. We break “the public” down into four entities: 1) Rank and file consumers, 2) Governments [local, state, & federal including regulators], 3) NGOs including environmental groups, and 4) Electric utilities. We assert that ITER-tokamaks will be evaluated in the context of fission power because both are nuclear processes. We observe that ITER-tokamak fusion will present radioactive hazards and be extremely expensive. Three possible futures for fission nuclear mid-century are: 1) full acceptance, 2) middling acceptance, and 3) rejection. If fission power is accepted mid-century, then ITER-tokamak fusion stands the best chance of being publicly acceptable, its largest drawback being very high cost. If fission power is of middling acceptance, then ITER-tokamak fusion might be marginally more acceptable because of its much shorter life radioactive waste. If fission power is unacceptable, then ITER-tokamak fusion acceptance will be very difficult.

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“…There are several experimental nuclear fusion devices around the world. The most recent example is the ITER [6,7], which is under construction in France, and it will be the world's largest and most advanced experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor. It aims to be the first to achieve net energy gain (producing more energy than used).…”

“…As a result, disruptions can damage the surrounding plasma structures irreversibly. Therefore, their prediction in advance is essential for some new tokamak devices (Japan Torus 60 Super Advanced (JT-60SA), located in Naka, Ibaraki, Japan [5], International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), located in Saint-Paullez-Durance, France [6,7], or the DEMOnstration power plant (DEMO), which location is not defined yet [8]) to trigger avoidance actions or, in the case of imminent disruption, to fire mitigation remedies.…”