Statement from General Atomics on the Release of the
Final Report of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on a Strategic Plan for Burning Plasma Research
San Diego, Dec. 17,
2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- San Diego, December 17, 2018 – General Atomics
(GA) Energy Group Vice President Jeff Quintenz released the following
statement regarding the final report from the National Academy of
Sciences’ (NAS) Committee on a Strategic Plan for Burning Plasma
Research.
“General Atomics strongly supports the conclusions of the
NAS committee. We thank the committee members for their thorough review and
thoughtful recommendations on the future of U.S. development of fusion
energy,” Quintenz said. “We are particularly pleased with the
committee’s endorsement of U.S. participation in the ITER project and its
recommended strategy to pivot the U.S. program toward a fusion energy goal
in the intermediate term.”
“The challenge of fusion energy is
significant, but we cannot afford to walk away from this critical and
nearly limitless source of clean energy,” said Mickey Wade, deputy
director of the Magnetic Fusion Energy Division at GA. “As the NAS report
correctly points out, our understanding of the physics of creating a
burning plasma has advanced dramatically over the past several decades.
This increased confidence, along with rapid advances in enabling
technologies, has positioned us for a strong push to demonstrate the
practical feasibility of fusion energy.”
GA is a world leader in
magnetic fusion research and development with nearly 50 years of
achievement in the field. The San Diego-based company operates the DIII-D
National Fusion Facility on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy. DIII-D
is the largest magnetic fusion research facility in the U.S. and has been
the site of many scientific breakthroughs in fusion energy. GA is a vital
partner in ITER and is manufacturing major components and key diagnostics
for the worldwide initiative, most notably the Central Solenoid, which will
be the world's largest pulsed superconducting electromagnet and will stand
at the heart of the ITER tokamak.
About General
Atomics: The Energy Group at General Atomics (GA) pioneers
advanced technologies with world-changing potential. We have been at the
cutting edge of energy innovation since the dawn of the atomic age – more
than 60 years. GA’s scientists and engineers are advancing the frontier
of scientific discovery across a comprehensive array of key energy
technologies, and helping meet growing global demands through safe,
sustainable, and economical solutions.
Caption:
General Atomics Program Manager John Smith talks about the process of
fabricating the ITER Central Solenoid with members of the NAS Committee on
a Strategic Plan for Burning Plasma Research.
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CONTACT: Zabrina Johal General Atomics 858-455-4004 Zabrina.Johal@ga.com