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The months of November and December 2007 were busy ones for this flagship project which is at last getting off the ground in our region. Indeed this world-class research project is currently attracting the interest of a multitude of businesses, large and small, eagerly looking for a tender for which they could bid and hope to pick up. The ITER project that we are discussing is moving into an important phase of its existence – the start of construction. The official starting signal was given on 7th November, with the signature of the basic agreement between the French government, represented by the Minister for Higher Education and Research, Valérie Pecresse, and the international “ITER Organisation” represented by its Managing Director, Kaname Ikeda.
This agreement made official the creation of ITER’s structure and of its Fusion Project at Cadarache. The basic agreement defines the legal status of the international organisation in France and the modalities for cooperation with the French authorities, as well as the privileges and immunities which the French state grants to it and to the people working there (mainly the principles of inviolability of the buildings, the immunity from legal process and execution, the exemption from taxes on goods imported or exported…) The international organisation is responsible for respecting national regulations covering matters of hygiene, working conditions, respect for the environment and nuclear safety.
Meanwhile, the minister used this occasion to say “This basic agreement is a promise and a declaration of welcome, which expresses the deep joy and immense pride which France feels at the idea of housing on its territory what is without doubt one of the most ambitious projects that Man has ever carried out". Whilst also emphasising the scientific and technological progress achieved by the research teams in each country, she did not forget the local communities of the whole Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur region who have always given a big welcome to, and their full support for, the implementation of this huge project.
After this official ceremony, there are now two important points to consider. The first is the one that everyone is talking about, the economic impact which the construction will have on the whole Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur region and even on all the participating countries.
The second is the one that is not really measured, the real welcome for the project on site and its impact in terms of major construction. And yet it is in line with the project itself which, let us not forget, attempts to reproduce technologically the energy generated by the sun.
The sun is an image well represented in everything which has been built by man to honour it, from the Incas to the Egyptians by way of the Aztecs, the Indo-European tribes, island peoples to the great Nebuchadnezzar, one cannot cite them all; this sovereign star is still the one that all respect and venerate. Each has expressed their admiration by creating temples and monuments as enormous as their faith in this sovereign star was immeasurable. From the construction of Machu Picchu in Peru by the Incas, to the great gardens of Babylon, from the great Egyptian pyramids to the Tower of Babel which, it was said, could accommodate all the peoples of the world, this admiration gave rise to immense works. The same can be said for the creation of the ITER infrastructure at Cadarache.
Indeed, just the levelling of the site, where the construction of the research centre will begin in February 2008, will completely change the look of the 40 hectares of wasteland. Almost 2.3 million cubic metres of earth and other materials will be cleared by bulldozers. In Egyptian times, they would have forced several hundred thousand people to dig and transport the earth to achieve such a feat in perhaps 10 years, as time was not so important then. Almost 1.2 million cubic metres of non-reusable material will be stored in an 11 hectare zone created for the purpose in the Longcamp valley within the site. This zone will be remodelled and replanted once the works are over; a landscaping study is currently underway.
The remainder, almost half the 2.3 million cubic metres, will be used as hardcore as required on the construction site. The site will have some impressive equipment, notably four stone-crushing machines with a capacity of 400-700 tonnes per hour, to deal with the material extracted from the ground of the ITER site, which is mostly limestone. The crushed products will then be used as hardcore for the site's roads and to make concrete. Four concrete mixers will also be present on the site, each with a production capacity of around 600 cubic metres of concrete per hour. The concrete, which will be produced on site using the recycled materials, will go to make the uprights, the beams, the floors and the external walls of the building … all that while fully respecting the environment, since specific measures will be implemented on the site as part of the environmental policy defined by ITER France.
Amongst other things, this includes the installation of water-recycling systems, cleaning of site vehicles and equipment, parking areas equipped with systems for recovery of rainwater and hydrocarbons, a policy of sorting waste at source and many other nature preservation prerogatives. The trees will also be respected, and a large number of species are already the subject of urgent protection so that they do not fall victim to the works. It should be noted that 70 hectares were cleared from January to March 2007, and that a second phase is planned for around 20 hectares in 2008, still under the supervision of environmental specialists, the Regional Environmental Administration, the departmental office for Agriculture and Forests, the National Forestry Office and the Provence chiropters group. Hence almost half the site, which is about 180 hectares in all, will be spared from the clearing operations.
When one first sees the size of this construction site, one can imagine the Pharaonic works which led to the creation of some of the greatest monuments on the planet. One also realises what progress civilisation has made. How many strong arms of the workmen of antiquity would have been needed to deliver a project of this calibre in around two years, to enable the teams who will build the ITER Tokamak to begin work from 2009? The reality of it shows us that great works are still being built, and that technology enables continual advances to be made. What else is there to say, except that this is happening in France, and in particular in the Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur region with the support of a large part of the World.
The economic impact becomes clearer
The large “ITER Business Forum 2007”, which took place on the 10th and 11th of December 2007 at Nice in the Alpes Maritimes, confirmed the interest of all the international economic players in this project. More than 1,300 people were expected at this conference, and they came. The Palais Acropolis was buzzing and the Forum, which it held on the first floor, brought together the largest international companies and SMEs in a way which made their future collaboration certain. The conferences, held in the different amphitheatres making up the Acropolis, scientific or institutional on the first day and more focussed on industrial problems on the following day, had everyone running to attend. If from some angles it had the look of a high Mass, from others the very concrete approaches to the enormity of the works, the tasks to be accomplished in terms of construction and the resulting economic impact for businesses, could not escape the notice of the latter, who came in large numbers for the occasion.
This event was the opportunity to present to the participants the new version of the www.iterentreprises.com website, which is intended to become the key meeting point of all those wishing to work on the ITER project, whether businesses which want to respond to bid requests, or those seeking a job. This website, developed on the initiative of the Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was presented by its chairman, Claude Cardella, who emphasised during his presentation the importance of this economic development tool for our businesses which, by its user-friendliness and interactivity, is a real business accelerator for the use of all the economic players in the area.
He also announced that an English language version of the site is currently being prepared. Jean-Pierre Mascarelli, a councillor for the Alpes Maritimes, underlined the importance for his department of the ITER project, confirming his commitment to its success and to the economic promise which it holds for the Alpes Maritimes area.
The Managing Director of the ITER Organisation, Kaname Ikeda, expressed his great confidence in the completion of his mission and in the collaboration which he hopes to maintain with all involved, both business and institutional. Bernard Bigot, France's representative for ITER, for his part, led the debates and also served as an English interpreter for the participants; he also found the time to explain in very concrete terms, all the ins and outs of the research which will be undertaken on the ITER site at Cadarache and the stakes involved in this project. This meeting also allowed us to get acquainted with the new ITER Project Manager, Colin Miege, whom we will certainly have the opportunity to meet at Cadarache.
This event, thanks to the large number of participants, was able to get across the message that the ITER project is now on track in the implementation phase and that our businesses should not let themselves be surprised, because a lot of people are very interested… Ready for the off!