Scientists in France have set a new all-time record in artificial sun fusion, surpassing a recent record set by China. The breakthrough brings researchers closer to harnessing a nearly limitless source of clean energy.
The WEST fusion reactor sustained hydrogen plasma at extreme temperatures for 1,337 seconds (more than 22 minutes), using 2 megawatts of heating power—enough to supply electricity to over 1,000 homes. The previous record, set by China’s Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) on Jan. 20, lasted 1,066 seconds.
“WEST has achieved a new key technological milestone by maintaining hydrogen plasma for more than twenty minutes through the injection of 2 MW of heating power,” said Anne-Isabelle Etienvre, director of fundamental research at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). She added that experiments will continue with increased power levels.
Fusion energy as a solution to world’s energy crisis?
Nuclear fusion, the same process that powers the stars, has been studied for more than 70 years as a potential solution to the world’s energy crisis. By forcing hydrogen atoms together under extreme heat and pressure, fusion releases enormous energy without emitting greenhouse gases or producing long-lasting radioactive waste.
However, recreating the conditions found inside stars is no simple task. Scientists must heat plasma—an extremely hot, electrically charged state of matter—to temperatures above 50 million degrees Celsius. The real challenge is keeping it contained.
🔥 BREAKTHROUGH IN NUCLEAR FUSION! 🇫🇷
France’s WEST fusion reactor set a new record, sustaining plasma for 1,337 seconds—a 25% improvement over the previous record set in China.
The next goal? Extending plasma duration to several hours and reaching even hotter temperatures to… pic.twitter.com/hfiJAdHA2e
— Horizon Reports (@hr_reports) February 25, 2025
If plasma touches the reactor walls, it can damage the system and disrupt the reaction. To prevent this, researchers use magnetic fields or lasers to trap and control the plasma inside a special reactor chamber.
WEST uses a tokamak design, the most advanced and widely tested approach to fusion. The tokamak holds the plasma inside a donut-shaped chamber using powerful magnets, allowing it to burn longer without damaging the reactor.
The recent breakthrough proves that reactors can sustain fusion conditions for extended periods, a critical step toward commercial fusion energy.
Preparing for ITER, the world’s largest fusion project
The latest success at WEST also paves the way for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the world’s largest fusion experiment. ITER is a joint effort involving China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States.
Once completed, ITER will feature 19 massive magnetic coils designed to control and stabilize fusion reactions. However, delays have pushed its first full test to 2039, nearly two decades behind schedule.
The long timeline raises concerns that fusion energy may not develop fast enough to help with the current climate crisis.
Despite these challenges, each breakthrough, like the one achieved by WEST, brings the world closer to unlocking fusion’s potential as a clean, abundant and sustainable energy source.
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