Call for expressions of interest in the area of controlled thermonuclear fusion
The European Commission, DG XII, has published a call for expressions of interest for European firms, or European groupings of firms, wishing to participate in calls for tenders for the supply of prototypes and equipment related to technologies which are specific to thermonuclear fusion and essential for the next generation thermonuclear experimental reactor, referred to as the Next Step. The industrial activities concerned will include, in particular, Community contributions to the engineering design activities of the International Experimental Reactor (ITER). The lists of firms or groupings of firms to be established at the end of this procedure will replace the lists resulting from the previous procedure of qualification carried out as a follow-up to the publication of the previous notice (OJ No C 68 of 11.3.1993 p. 15.). A list of qualified firms or groupings of firms will be established for each of the following 15 technologies: - Plasma engineering: . High-power, high-frequency transmission lines (in the range 120-180 Ghz); . High-power, high-frequency sources (in the range 5-8 GHz and 120-180 Ghz); . Neutral-beam power supplies and high-voltage components (of the order of 1 MV); - Plasma-facing components: . Tiles and coatings; . Plasma-facing component models; - Vessel, shield and blanket: . Models of vacuum-vessel and segments of neutron shields and of tritium-breeding blankets superconducting magnets: . Strands; . Conductors; . Model coil windings; . High-power electrical amplifiers; - Remote-handling equipment: . Qualification of standards and tools; . Remote-handling devices (transporters and actuators); - Fuel cycle: . Tritium-compatible vacuum cryopumps and mechanical pumps; . Tritium-compatible vacuum valves; . components for tritium-handling and atmosphere detritiation. Expressions of interest should be sent to: European Commission DG XII - Science, research and development Fusion Programme 200 rue de la Loi B-1049 Brussels Fax +32-2-2964252; Telex: COMEU B 21877 For information purposes, the lists of firms and groupings of firms already qualified may be obtained upon written request to: NET Team Leader The NET Team c/o Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik Boltzmannstrasse 2 D-85748 Garching bei Muenchen Fax +49-8932994197 The new lists of firms and groupings of firms which will be qualified following the conclusion of this procedure may be obtained upon written request to the NET team leader.