An experimental nuclear fusion power station costing €10 billion which is aimed at creating safe nuclear energy, will draw on the expertise of a team of Irish scientists.
Some 33 scientists from Dublin City University and ten from University College Cork will partake in the global collaboration project at Cadarache in the south of France.
The project is the result of an international collaboration involving the European Union, Japan, China, India, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the US. The fusion research is aimed at demonstrating that the energy source of the sun and stars can be used to produce electricity in a "safe, environmentally benign way" to meet the needs of a growing world population.
Researchers hope the creation of safe nuclear energy will remove the dangers of Chernobyl-style explosions in nuclear fission reactors. In addition, it is hoped that it will remove the creation of dangerous spent fuel that has to be safely stored for centuries and could possibly be targeted by terrorists and used for atomic bombs.
Ministers from the seven key partners met in Brussels yesterday to sign the initial agreement which will establish the nuclear fusion project, called Iter. The construction costs of Iter are estimated at €5 billion over ten years. An additional €5 billion is expected to be spent over the 20-year operation period.
Prof John Costello, chairman of the Fusion Steering Committee, said yesterday's agreement could have profound effects on "life on planet Earth". He added: "Members of the Irish team are looking forward to playing our part in this global effort that could have such beneficial and far-reaching effects."