Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on 18 May took part in the launch ceremony of the T-15MD tokamak installation at the National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute. The Tokamak T-15MD (toroidal chamber with magnetic coils) is a modified version of the T-15 reactor, which has been operating at the Kurchatov Institute since the late 1980s, and the first new thermonuclear installation built in Russia in the last 20 years. Its uniqueness lies in its combination of high power and compact dimensions made possible as a result of a number of new technologies developed by the Kurchatov Institute.

The work took place within the framework of the state programme "Development of the nuclear power industry complex". The launch of the T-15MD is “a necessary step for the development of the domestic school of thermonuclear research, increasing the international competitiveness of Russia in this area and the implementation of the Russian national programme for controlled thermonuclear fusion,” according to the Russian government website. The T-15MD is part of the international thermonuclear project ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) project, which is expected to be operational by 2035. It will be one of the installations worldwide undertaking research tasks to feed into the project.

Image: The T-15MD tokamak launch ceremony (Photo credit: Kurchatov Institute)